14 September 1857 – 20 September 1857

Sunday. Nabalus Fraseri, top of Cliffs, | — a new plant, — yet in prime and not long out. The nabalus family generally, apparently now in prime.

Friday. P. M. — Round Walden with C. We find the water cold for bathing. Coming out on to the Lincoln road at Bartlett’s path, we found an abundance of haws by the roadside, just fit to eat, quite an agreeable subacid fruit. We were glad to see anything that could be eaten so abundant. They must be a supply depended on by some creatures. ‘These bushes bear a profusion of fruit, rather crimson than scarlet when ripe. I hear that “Uncle Ned” of the Island told of walk- ing along the shore of a pond where the “shells” of the mosquitoes were washed up in winrows. As I was going through the Cut, on my way, I saw what I thought a rare high-colored flower in the sun on the sandy bank. It was a Trifoliwm arvense whose narrow leaves were turned a bright crimson, enhanced by the sun shining through it and lighting it up. Go- ing along the low path under Bartlett’s Cliff, the Aster levis flowers, when seen toward the sun, are very hand- some, having a purple or lilac tint. We started a pack of grouse, which went off with a whir like cannon-balls. C. said he did not see but they were round still and preserved the same relation to the wind and other elements that they held twenty years ago. I suggested that they were birds of the season. Coming home through the street in a thunder-shower at ten o’clock this night, it was exceedingly dark. I met two persons within a mile, and they were obliged to call out from a rod distant lest we should run against each other. When the lightning lit up the street, almost as plain as day, I saw that it was the same green light that the glow-worm emits. Has the moisture some- thing to do with it in both cases?

Saturday. Still somewhat rainy, — since last evening. Solidago arguta variety done, say a week or more.

Sunday. Another mizzling day. P. M. — To beach plums behind A. Clarke’s. We walked in some trodden path on account of the wet grass and leaves, but the fine grass overhanging paths, weighed down with dewy rain, wet our feet nevertheless. We cannot afford to omit seeing the beaded grass and wetting our feet. This is our first fall rain, and makes a dividing line between the summer and fall. Yet there has been no drought the past summer. Vegetation is unusually fresh. Methinks the grass in some shorn meadows is even greener than in the spring. You are soon wet through by the underwood if you enter the woods, —ferns, aralia, huckleberries, etc. Went through the lower side of the wood west of Peter’s. The early decaying and variegated spotted leaves of the Aralia nudicaulis, which spread out flat and of uniform height some eighteen (?) inches above the forest floor, are very noticeable and interesting in our woods in early autumn, now and for some time. For more than a month it has been changing. ‘The out- lines of trees are more conspicuous and interesting such a day as this, being seen distinctly against the near misty background, — distinct and dark. The branches of the alternate cornel are spreading and flat, somewhat cyme-like, as its fruit. Beach plums are now perfectly ripe and unexpectedly good, as good as an average cultivated plum. I get a handful, dark- purple with a bloom, as big as a good-sized grape and but little more oblong, about three quarters of an inch broad and a very little longer. I got a handker- chief full of elder-berries, though I am rather late about it, for the birds appear to have greatly thinned the cymes. A great many small red maples in Beck Stow’s Swamp are turned quite crimson, when all the trees around are still perfectly green. It looks like a gala day there. A pitch pine and birch wood is rapidly springing up between the Beck Stow Wood and the soft white pine grove. Itis now just high and thick enough to be noticed as a young wood-lot, if not mowed down.’