The End of SpringTitle: From Cosmos to Crimson — Saying Goodbye to Spring, Hello to FallThe End of Spring

The garden still hums with life as spring winds down. Cosmos sway in the soft late-afternoon light, butterflies flit from petal to petal, and the neighborhood cat takes long, sunny naps on the fence while songbirds add a gentle soundtrack. These small, bright moments feel like a warm exhale before the season shifts.

I’ve posted a few snapshots here—cosmos blooms, our curious neighbor’s cat, a cluster of songbirds, and a couple of butterflies—little reminders of spring’s last hurrah. Each one feels like a keepsake of the long, blooming days we’ve enjoyed.

There’s a quiet excitement in the air for me, though. Fall is coming, and with it the brilliant palette I always look forward to: sugar-maple golds, fiery oaks, deep crimson sumac, and the soft russet of late light. I’ll be taking advantage of the changing scenery and sharing a set of fall-color photos in my next post — from neighborhood walks to park strolls and the best tree-lined streets I find.

This is Hazel, my neighbor’s cat that is sometimes in my garden chasing squirrels.
Yellow roses are a symbol of friendship. Portland is my home and is sometimes called the city of Roses.

Delicate cosmos catching the late-spring light.
A red breasted nuthatch on my fig tree.
A brilliant Cosmos flower soaking in the late afternoon sunlight.
A blacked-capped chicadee enjoying suet in my backyard.
A female American Bushtit. The females can be identified by their yellow eyes. The males have dark eyes.
A gray hairstreak butterfly enjoying nectar from a cosmos flower.
A California Tortoiseshell Butterfly that made a suprise visit.
An elegant purple wildflower that I grew from a seed.