Signs of Fall in Tennessee!

I am on Fall Break this week, so I do not have much biology teaching news to report.  Instead, I thought I would show you what Fall looks like from my point of view. 

You know it is Fall in Tennessee when:

1.  I decorate my kitchen table for the upcoming holidays.
(Only two of these pumpkins are ceramic...the rest are real!)

2.  I also put Fall decorations out on my front porch.

My daughter loves to pick out the weirdest pumpkin she can find!

Aren't these the "happiest" flowers?

3.  Okay...now for a little biology!
The fungi are going crazy at this time of year.  This puffball was the size of a grapefruit!

4.  The kids at my school "flamingo'd" the front lawn.  I thought this was a very cute prank!

5.  College football is off and running in the SEC!  My daughter is in the band at Mississippi State.  She is at the bottom of the first "T"!

6.  My husband is a high school band director.  We have a marching band competition nearly every week end.

7.  Now back to biology....
These are the last few ducks left on our pond.  The picture was taken at twilight with the last remaining sun reflecting off the water.

8.  Found this gorgeous beetle as I worked in my yard one day.  Its back was an amazing lime green color.

9.  And finally.....you know it is Fall in Tennessee when the summer flowers are still growing like crazy on your deck!


I hope your Fall is as pleasant as mine.  Happy teaching!!