"…a muted still-life of time's eternal passage."
Autumn is coming down today here along the river. At least a lot of leaves seem to be falling every time a bit of wind kicks up. Several trees in the yard are already stark, their bare limbs showing, which causes them to look decidedly skeletal if they happen to be standing between other trees which have yet to lose the bulk of their leaves.
"…a textured frame for a rounded rock and reflected sky."
Not all the leaves hereabouts have turned, and those that have are mostly shades of yellow, gold, bronze, tan, beige, and various hues of brown. Admittedly, it isn't the most colorful autumnal palette; certainly nothing like last year's glorious fall patchwork which was heavy on reds and oranges, each scene more dazzling than the one before.
"…like looking through the stained-glass window of a country church."
But…you take what you get with nature and the passing seasons, learn to appreciate them one and all. Besides, there's a subtle side of beauty which often goes unnoticed. A pile of leaves at your feet reveals a muted still-life of time's eternal passage. Leaves caught in a pool can be either choking clutter or a textured frame for a rounded rock and reflected sky. Sunlight through sycamore leaves—some colored, others still green—is like looking through the stained-glass window of a country church. Upstream, scattered leaves speckle an impressionistic mirror.
"…scattered leaves speckle an impressionistic mirror."
Sometimes, desires and expectations get in the way of finding treasures and blessings we've already been given. Life is a participant experience. What we long for isn't always what we need; what we look for isn't what we always find. Autumn is coming down here along the river. Leaves are falling, the sky is blue, the sun warm. And best of all, it's mine to enjoy.
———————
20 comments:
Hi Grizz,
I enjoyed this post immensely, the words and pictures are most poignant.
Regards,
John
Murphyfish/John…
Thank you—I'm glad you liked the post. It's sunny but a bit cooler (45˚F, 7˚C) here along the river this morning, but should warm up at least 25 degrees by noon—so all around, shaping into a lovely day. I'm hoping to be able to get out for a ramble later on. I hate to waste a single moment of autumn being stuck indoors.
Is that a rock pretending to be a turtle or a turtle pretending to be a rock, Grizz?
i do love scuffing through the dead, dry leaves - makes me feel about ten again.
Weaver…
Actually, that ol' rock is all hunkered down, naked, afraid, wondering where its comforting water went. Occasionally it whimpers.
I like crunching through the leaves, too. And at least once or twice every autumn, I have to flop down flat on my back in a pile of new-fallen leaves—feel them wrapping around me, smell them, look up at the sky, think of all the years now behind…
Of course, I now do this on a hillside rather than flat ground because the incline makes getting back up easier. :-)
HI GRIZZ-
your beautiful pictures and command of language blend harmoniously to define this spectacular season of change and color, muted and mirrored reflections of a life changing season. Here too, the wonder and magic of colorful yet subtle change is ever-present. The tree outside our bedroom window is reaching to touch the screen - the pond out front is moving following a heavy rain last night - the wind is swirling leaves about and the sky is a gray blue that promises a chill. I love it. :-)
Great post and great picture.\
Love to you my friend
Gail
peace......
Gail…
Still bright and sunny here, and not all that cool. Another glorious, gold October day! Sounds like you're enjoying your version of autumn, too.
Thank you for your nice comment. Hope you're feeling and doing well…and looking forward to great weekend.
BTW, I think it's neat your son is a writer—and that you're his first reader/editor. Quite an honor!
Grizz: Nature is the best teacher. You have to accept what it offers, as you can't change it. You have to learn to take the gorgeous with the ugly and the average.
Carolyn H.
Griz
They took the patch off my eye today so I have popped in to take a closer look at your pictures than I have been able to in the recent weeks. I have spent some time admiring how you have captured the scattering light and reflections. The palette of colours in the forest here is wider than you describe: we have oaks with enormous leaves that transmute through yellow, orange and red on their way to brown.
There were some lovely sunny days here this week although the mornings had been getting progressively colder; now for the weekend greyer, wetter condtions are taking over. Yes, we take what we get and appreciate it. The colder mornings here covered the countryside in a glistening milky haze; now we will have a moister perspective of the countryside.
You've got Weaver scuffling through leaves like a ten-year-old, Gail is waxing lyrical on the wild weather ahead, I'll be shuffling off to the forest with Lady tomorrow. You have a lot to answer for, mz friend!
Enjoy your weekend.
...Tramp
The photos and words sing together in this little duet. I especially like the last paragraph of this piece, which celebrates WHAT IS, versus what might have been. It would be a pretty boring world if every autumn had the same Hallmark look.
Carolyn…
Nature does teach you—insisting, really—to live in the moment, take what you're given and make the best of it. Which is, contrary to what some might think, more freedom than surrender. Why miss the "what is" while bemoaning the "what isn't?"
Tramp…
Sounds like we've both had great weeks vision-wise. You're now literally seeing the results of your second successful cataract surgery. I went to the optometrist yesterday for my final check with the new lenses…20/15 vision, no secondary "ghost" images, no weird perspectives, no blurry or out-of-focus areas. I need readers if the light's dim, but that's fine. What I wanted to do was SEE!
I expect we'll have our dose of cooler, wetter, more autumnish weather sooner or later. You have more color where you're at this year. But I have not a single complaint. These October days are lovely.
I can't believe you want to blame me for Weaver's, Gail's, and yours and Lady's behavior! But you know what…I hope I am to blame. I hope something I said propelled each and every one of you—and anyone else reading the post—into the autumnal woods (except, of course, for Penny, who would be going into the spring woods, seeing as how she lives on the bottom half of the world.) This blog could scarcely strive for a better outcome from a post!
Have a great FULL VISION weekend!
HI AGAIN-
thanks for mentioning my son and how he is published AND that I get to read his writings first!! Leave a grunt or a foot print or something over at my place so I know you came by.
This weekend my daughter and i are making a new pasta dish - '"reuben pasta bake". It will be cold and windy tomorrow so a good day for a hot baked meal. :-)
Love to you
Gail
peace.....
George…
It's so easy to focus only on the bright, dazzling, wall-calendar version of autumn, to make that the ideal, and then to feel robbed if it doesn't materialize. I'm tickled to death that no man controls the seasons, that we don't get to pick and choose how they look, when they come and go, or what weather they bring.
Life should always be an adventure!
Gail…
Leave a "grunt or a footprint?" Well, huh!
Okay, I guess is wasn't very neighborly to visit your blog without speaking…though I dare say, there have been blogs and posts (not yours!) where I wish I'd have kept my mouth shut, and doubtless blog masters who sincerely wish the same.
I forthwith apologize and promise I'll try and do better.
Now about this reuben pasta bake…you are going to post the outcome of that, right?
HI THERE_
I ALWAYS love your comments on my posts, ALWAYS... :-) and yes, I will let folks know about the "reuben psta bake" casserole. I am looking forward to the time with Jen - and Jo'el too who will not care too much about the cooking but certainly will be in line to get a big plateful of our joint effort.
Love you always
Gail
peace........ (and pasta) :-)
Gail…
I await your review, and perhaps the recipe.
Peace and pasta to you, too! ;-D
How I'm enjoying visiting your beautiful blog again, Grizz! Your autumn photos are glorious, in this post and the earlier ones too.
And I feel the same about the surprises and subtleties of the seasons.
Raph…
Welcome back to the riverbank! You've been truly missed—even by those up the hill in the Wild Wood.
Thank you, always, for your nice words re. photos. I'm pleased you liked them. And glad to hear you also prefer the surprises and subtleties of each unique seasonal journey.
Now…don't be a stranger!
Beautiful : )
Sarah…
Thank you very much—I'm pleased you liked the post and pix. And I hope you'll forgive me for not getting your comment up sooner—I've been outside all day.
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