the narrow channel between Billy Goat B and Offutt Island; the river is really low – all the land in this picture should be underwater

After three weeks’ absence I eagerly hit the Billy Goat B trail yesterday, expecting to find a lot of asters and goldenrods.  What I actually found was a whole lot of nothing.

that is one sad looking maple

OK, not really nothing, of course.  And although we are not yet officially in a drought, we are abnormally dry here.  As a result, the wildflower show is really muted.  Plants are going dormant early, their leaves wilted or brown (at least, I hope they’re going dormant, and not dying).  Many trees have lost their leaves already, and others’ leaves are turning brown

this black walnut isn’t too happy, either

I saw plenty of white snakeroot, which is dominant at this time of year regardless of weather, a fair amount of wingstem, several different species of goldenrod, a few silverrods budding up, a few scattered asters, one plant in the genus Bidens, and that’s about it.

look at all the brown plants behind this smooth aster

that’s a sorry looking wingstem, but the bumblebee doesn’t seem to mind

riverbank goldenrod says “what is drought?”

calyces on bugleweed