Fall Is In The Air

I am told it was 57 degrees when I left for work this morning. Although that isn't "official", it is probably accurate and is a degree lower than the record low for this date (set in 1917, according to AccuWeather.com). Perhaps we will have an early fall this year?

The "Sweet Autumn Clematis" is blooming with its fragrant white blossoms that will carry us almost to first frost.



And two of our pecan trees are already dropping leaves. We have several pecan trees in the yard, and each of them loses its leaves at a different time, spread over more than a month from the first til the last.



I have heard that each pecan tree that grows from seed is a unique species. The varying calendars for leaf drop and nut fall lend credence to that as much as the difference in size, flavor and quality of the various nuts.

One of our early trees is a Native (Wild) one that bore more than 100 pounds of nuts two years ago. They are so tiny I had to take them to Oklahoma to get them cracked, as the machines around here are set to larger sizes to accomodate the great orchards of cultivated trees (although there are still many native trees too).

Another of our trees is so susceptable to insects that it is a waste of time to try to gather its nuts. Our friend who used to live here told me it was the same way back when they had the house.



There are always dozens of volunteer pecan trees coming up around the yard. I mow most of them down because everyone who wants pecans already has their own trees. But we also make sure that a few are allowed to grow, so we can be sure we've always got pecans. Only once or twice in my life, and then only for very short periods, have I lived in a house that didn't have a pecan tree in the yard.