Serendipitous

November is a transition month. There are still hints of color from October...and clear evidence of the withering and resting that comes in December and the winter months.  

This zinnia caught my eye on our morning walk...the touches of red, the withered brown and just a hind of frost.  It perfectly manifests the transitional beauty of November.

I was quite taken with the trees and vegetation in Denver...many of them different than we have on the east coast. These seed pods caught my eye on the first day. There were several heads on the same stem...and most were quite tall and stood out in the withering landscape and against the bright blue sky. 

Sometimes you can only fully appreciate things like this in the transitional month of November.

They were almost thistle like....but I knew they weren't thistles. I intended to do a little research to figure out what they were when I got home....but hadn't gotten to it.

Then just this morning this image popped up on Pinterest from Gary and Heather of littleRamstudio.....I recognized it right away. Serendipitous don't you think!

 

Turns out it's teasle. It grows wild and can tolerate all kinds of climates but unfortunately can be invasive. The seed heads are strong and wiry...and have actually been used as a natural comb to tease the wool for textiles.  Hence the name.  

This is what it looks like when it's blooming....often starting in the center.  I'll remind Alyson and Liz to check it out next year and send me photos.

It may not surprise you that I brought one home for my collection.