Fall Wildflower Walk - Today it was all about the sunflowers

Maximilians reach towards the clouds.

 Who knows what may lie around the next corner? 

There may be a window somewhere ahead. 

It may look out on a field of sunflowers.

~ Joe Hill

Today we headed out to another park. This one, Booty's Crossing Park (or Booty's Road Park or Booty Road Park), is another spot along the San Gabriel River where, I suspect, an early settler (Mr. Booty?) discovered a spot where one could ford the river. Now it is a nicely developed park with hiking/biking/running paths, a "challenge course," and other improvements. 

We met with around 20 other trainees and a Master Naturalist/Master Gardener to look at fall wildflowers and grasses. We hope to take another such "formal" hike next week. I suspect there will be other, less formal, hikes in between.

Because we are training in a neighboring county, most of the plants are the same. So there were answers to my unspoken questions about tiny yellow flowers and others I don't know, haven't identified and haven't researched.

There were daisies and there were sunflowers. The Maximilian Sunflower is king right now. There were fields of them. Individual plants reached for the sun and grew hidden in forest clearings. Other yellow wildflowers were present, but were no real competition.

The pollinators were out in numbers enjoying the day - almost as much as we were.

Golden eye daisy and friend.

Ruella

Some folks are working on a pollinator census. I'm just enjoying them.

It had been foggy as we drove down to the park, but the sun came out and blinded us for part of the walk.

Twisted yuccas.

Inland Sea Oats (I know this is a terrible photo, but I want to remember these guys).

Foxtail Grass

Asters hiding in the woods.

It looked like fall, even if it would reach almost 90 degrees today.

Our guide talked about the huge trees lost (to a flood?) and the evidence was hiding among the flowers.

Bloom of the Frost Weed.

Brother thinks greenbrier (smilax).

The bees were posing today.

Field of sunflowers.

NITs (Naturalists In Training)

Face to the sun.

We were largely ignored by the bees. Butterflies were present, but too fast for me.

The sunflower is mine, in a way.

~ Vincent Van Gogh

Well, the sunflower is mine too.

Notes: 

With thanks to the Good Water Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists; our guide, Wayne Rhoden; and Williamson County (the county has an amazing number of nicely developed and developing public parks).

We also observed many other plants and flowers including, but not limited to, ragweed, Turk's cap, pepper vine, broom weed, gum weed, agalinis, and purple skullcap.