The green is gone! The leaves on all the boxelder, black cherry, and butternut trees that surround the grove have finished falling off. The rest of the green is concentrated in the few bittersweet vines that choke out the trees and the eastern white pines in the backdrop. The goldenrods have all collectively started releasing their seeds.
As the seas of goldenrod have started to recede, the lower ground cover, which was hidden all summer, is being exposed. It’s been very fun to explore through and find new plants along the ground. So far, I’ve only found a few black raspberry and blackberry plants. I’m excited to see what I will find next as the goldenrod continues to recede.
For my meditative reflection spot, I chose this little grotto I found right next to the grove of goldenrod. The branches formed a dome of sorts around me, and it was nice to just sit there and take in the forest around me.