The Colour of August

There is no single colour that represents the month of August
but I get an overall impression of bright and joyful colours
which enchant me wherever I go.

Gorgeous sunflowers like this one above
growing in the grounds of the local Farmer's Market
The details in the flower centre are a sheer work of art!

On my daily walks in and around my neighbourhood
I discovered these beautiful Morning Glory blooms
generously providing lots of pollen for the visiting bees.

These flowers last but one single day
but there are always new buds in preparation.

The lovely cascading petals of this beautiful dahlia
captured by leaning over the fence into someone's garden.

Cone Flowers looking pretty in a nearby park.

Blanket Flowers
(Gaillardia aristata)
Growing for the first time on my balcony
and simply adored by the bees.

One can see the attraction to this gorgeous pollen-filled centre

I will definitely be growing these flowers on my balcony next year
I love bee and butterfly friendly plants!

The Gerbera Daisies
enhance a window box just next to my kitchen

Golden Tutsan flowers
This is a larger flowered variety of Hypericum or St. John's Wort

One thing I notice is that August's palette shows a lot
of yellow, pink, orange and red
but  I found a little blue Chicory flower on one of my morning walks
just to ring the change of all these warm colours!

The apples are looking good already
and I can't wait to eat my first apple of the season!

Seed-pods are starting to develop everywhere.

This month of August
has been very hot and even since July we've had
heat-wave after heat-wave with a few days of respite between each
with storms and a little rain to bring the temperatures down, provisionally.

I have often sought out the shade of leafy trees and early morning walks
before the heat builds up.

Sunsets have been beautiful
even here in town
where I manage to zoom between buildings to frame them
with tall trees which remind me of the countryside.

I can hear many people around me
wanting the summer months to last much longer
as they feel that winter lasts for far too long!
As much as I have enjoyed the profusion of flowers
and wonderful colours during this summer
I just love the arrival of autumn
and the wonderful lighting.

My favourite seasons are spring and autumn.
I love living in a country that experiences all four seasons
and I shall be relieved when the extreme heat
of this summer has dwindled into autumn breezes.

14 comments

  1. Awesome pictures! You really know how to catch nature and it's beautiful flowers and rich colours. Awesome!
    Have a great day,
    Marjan
    P.S.: I wouldn't mind if summer would last a little longer either - we didn't have much of summer this July and August so far, even now it's only 19°C and cloudy.

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    1. Thank you, Marjan. As you read above, our summer has been exceptionally hot with high humidity and I have so appreciated the breaks of cooler temperatures which came our way from time to time!

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  2. Such gorgeous photos. Each flower so perfectly beautiful and yes amazing details.
    It has a been a hot summer here in general. Today not so hot, but the heat returns tomorrow.Wishing you a cool breeze.

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    1. Tammie, this is one of the hottest summers I have ever experienced and the humidity is very high which makes it difficult to keep cool. The word 'tropical' was mentioned several times during the weather forecast this evening! We'll be reach 31 Celsius again this week.

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  3. These are are gorgeous! Summer colors are wonderful, but I am also ready for cooler temperatures. We may get a break about Thursday, only in the mid 80's and lower humidity! I am definitely ready for that!

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    1. Thanks, Cathy. You are lucky that your temperatures may be coming down this week! Ours are going up again with high humidity! I'm like you in the heat! It saps all my energy! Luckily, we get short breaks which feel wonderful for a few days!

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  4. I always walk early too, a habit that started when I use to work and I needed to walk the dogs for some exercise before work. Now I don't have dogs or work, but the habit has lasted.

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    1. Early morning walks are magical, I agree. I love walking when the streets are calm and there are very few people around. Glad you enjoyed all the summer flower shots, Sarah. They are so beautiful during the month of August!

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  5. What spectacular shots! So much floral beauty and colour.

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  6. Thank you, Fi. These flowers are all taken in my neighbourhood and the Gaillardia and Gerbera on my own balcony. I adore being surrounded by flowers and feel so lucky to have a balcony. It makes up, a little bit, for not having a view!

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  7. Truly lovely August colors, Sandra.
    We have had some very warm weather too, but as is always the case, I want it to last as long as possible since our winters here are very long and very cold. :-(
    Happy day to you!

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  8. I am so ready for some cooler temps as well and like you I favor the seasons of Spring and Fall. Both seasons have always represented new growth and new adventures for me much more so than the start of a new year. The colors in the flowers are just gorgeous. Would you mind sharing what lens you used with these shots?

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  9. Your photographs are just lovely.
    The year is flying by and soon the month of September will be here and Autumn, one of my favourite seasons.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks, Jan. Yes, autumn and spring are my favourite seasons too!

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