Yellow Prairie Coneflower

A recent walk to the City's Xeriscape Garden to find out what these are seedheads for was ill-timed. We'd missed the bloom, but there was an identification label. I was really surprised, because 1) it wasn't there in March when I took this photo and 2) usually the one thing I'm interested in – especially at the supermarket – is the one thing without a tag.

One of things I love about photographing on the fly is the interesting things you see later, like the Stink Bug [possibly a Squash (or Armor?)] Bug perched on one of the seedheads. Of course I collected a few heads but after finding out what they look like in mid-summer, ended up tossing them in the field.

The season is winding down quickly. Outside of Caryopteris and Rabbitbrush (makes bitter honey) not much is blooming. We're at the time of year when we go from highs in the 80s, to highs in the 60s and our First Frost can happen any night now. We seem to always get cheated out of the 70s, but the upside is that it triggers what little Fall foliage color we have. When the Rockies are on TV this weekend, be sure to note the ash trees – the stuff bats are made out of – surrounding the stadium on Blake and 20th streets. They are absolutely the best in October. Go Rockies!