“It was one of those early November mornings that are as beautiful as any in spring. There was gold everywhere, drifts of it on the elm tree, flakes of gold under our feet, gold dust on the hedges, liquid gold in the refracted falling light.”
― Elizabeth Goudge, The Dean's Watch
I treasure these first days of November. The sun is out, the leaves glow golden, helping me to get out of my head, and the backyard.
***
"Autumn - the year’s loveliest smile. “
- William Cullen
October was a time of reflection and slowing down. There was rain, lots of it, and wind, but also beautiful pockets of light. I pulled out my 35 mm sigma art lens and slipped out when I could to capture the beauty. I thought some on what anchors me and reached for those things rather than seeking out the opinions of others. I found there was time to rest, which felt like boredom at first, until I discovered it for gift it was. We carved pumpkins one Sunday as we ate chili and cornbread with the kids, and we did our best to put the garden to rest. Baker got his first tooth cleaning and lost a few teeth in the process, but he does not seem to be bothered by the experience. I on the other hand, worried until he was his old self again. I thought some about friendships and how some shift and grow while others just fade away and no one is to blame. And while it seems too soon to fill the bowls with candy and watch as young ghosts and witches pull out their favorites to drop in their bags I know all to well that November waits in the background, ready to help us prepare to welcome winter.
***
“As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust, First Part
the colors of autumn
morning visits from the hummingbirds
the sound of rain on the roof
puddle jumping with Percy
fresh pressed apple cider
learning to trust myself again
***
“There is love in holding and there is love in letting go.”
― Elizabeth Berg, The Year of Pleasures
the first frost of the season
rain, mixed with showers
a truckload of compost for the garden
dahlias in every room
gingerbread
letting go
***
"I loved autumn, the one season of the year that God seemed to have put there just for the beauty of it."
~ Lee Maynard
The rain has arrived and the mushrooms pop up overnight.
I get down and lay on my belly in the dewey grass to take a couple photos
allowing the quiet to wash over me as I cross my fingers, hoping it will turn out.
I am happy with the results.
***
"Life does not come with instructions on how to live, but it does come with trees, sunsets, smiles and laughter, so enjoy your day."
-Debbie Shapiro
walks around the lake,
fishing boats,
birds emptying the feeders,
late summer blooms
and the dog!
***
“It was one thing to use computers as a tool,
quite another to let them do your thinking for you.”
― Tom Clancy, The Hunt for Red October
I find myself fighting with my devices daily, missing the calmness of days past where I could find simplicity and connection through words and photos. Today I find myself focusing instead on wading my way through the influencers I encounter online. seeking out ways of leaving them behind and still finding that connection.
***
Fall arrives and I want nothing more than to slow down and enjoy it. The leaves start to turn and the mornings require two layers. But by afternoon the sun is pouring through the windows and the slider is opened. Baker claims his spot on dining room window seat, his keen awareness alerting us of the goings-ons up and down the street.
