Summer's end, autumn beginnings

Canadian Thanksgiving a week or so ago, had me out with my camera to capture the last reminders of summer if I could. These sunflowers are what I call "volunteers." They grew from seeds dropped by birds or scattered from the feeder by ambitious chipmunks or squirrels.

When I looked at these lovely glowing flower faces closely, I noticed that the birds had begun to peck away some of the ends of the pollen bearing stamens and other parts of the flower that hide the seeds underneath.

And then I noticed a small visitor.

Clinging to the face of one of the larger flowers but also to the petals of another or the back side of still another, at least five bumble bees. What a surprise this late in the season. These were small bumblebees, much smaller than the huge heavy ones that had shown up in early spring. There were several hanging around the sunflowers and staying overnight. They seemed to spend  a couple of days getting the last bits of pollen, staying late so that it was, I assume, too cool for them to fly back to a hive before they had their little backleg paniers full.

Lovely reminders of the sad plight of many, possibly most of the world's bees.

I  so look forward to spring and summer filled with such glorious flowers which will result from the many birds that visit my feeders over the late fall and winter. And the return of the bumblebees and honey bees.

We are so blessed in Canada with the changing seasons. I only hope and pray that this winter is easier to deal with than last. May you have a lovely day being reminded of the beauty of nature that is offered to us to enjoy in so many ways throughout the seasons.