American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)
If brown is the color of summer in Austin (see Zanthan’s recent post), purple is the color of fall, at least in my garden. American beautyberry gets a head start with its late-summer purpling berries. In the photo above, you can also see the tiny flowers that open after the berries ripen.

Like grape juice being sucked up a straw. Look at how the berries nearest the center of the bush are already deep purple; along the branch, the berries are only lavender; farther along, they are changing from green to palest lilac; at the tip, the unripe berries are still apple green.

The beautyberry bush, sprawling across the fence, as seen from my front porch.

The chile pequin (Capsicum annuum) peppers are ripe too. I love their jolt of red under the vitex tree. While so many of my summer bloomers, like the rudbeckias, are exhausted, chile pequin is just revving up.
It’s green chile season here in Austin. Several local restaurants and groceries celebrate the return of the fiery pepper with chile roastings and special recipes. I love the smoky, pungent smell of peppers blackening under the blowtorches of the chile-roasters. At Chuy’s, my favorite Tex-Mex joint, new dishes featuring green chiles are already on the menu. Feel the burn! I understand that the chile pequin pepper, however, rivals even the hottest green chiles. Maybe one day we’ll see a chile pequin festival.

I spotted this praying mantis hanging from the bottom of the porch light early this morning. I’m sure she feasted all night long on moths drawn to the light.
I’m still praying for rain.