Late Fall in VA

This is one of the many times I wish I had a longer lens, like a 200 or a 300mm. My puny kit lens happened to be on my camera when these three balloons floating away in the distance showed up. This was the best I could do with what I have. This is also my street. I have a photo somewhere of this street with the fog rising from the bottom of the hill, but I can't find it.

Because this is somewhat of a tourist destination, balloon tours operate year round, and a few take a trip over my house and down the road to the Blue Ridge Mountains. I live on a mountain right before the National Park. I love looking at the balloons with their bright colors and the sound of the flames whooshing up to send them away. My dog doesn't like the sound but thinks he can catch them. Silly dog.

The dogwoods are turning red, and the berries are being eaten by squirrels, deer and my resident mockingbird. The mockingbird perches at the top of the tree and scolds anything else who dares approach his source of berry. I liked the way the sun hit the middle leaf in this shot.

My winter birds are returning. Oh I really could use the long lens to capture those beauties. We have yellow throats, junkos, fox sparrows and purple finches here in the cold months. They make up for our gorgeous hummingbirds who have left for Mexico.