November 18, 2014

Autumn

November is our autumn month.

Early November view from the goat shed - sun peeking through the trees

 The calendar says autumn starts in September, but that's not so.

Japanese Maple on right, Pecan tree on left.

Autumn is when the trees say so. It's when they sprinkle their leaves on the ground in the wind.

Firewood!

It's when a sweater or light jacket would feel good as I head out to do those chores.

Japanese Maple Leaves

Autumn is when wood smoke smells warm and welcoming on the cool, crisp air. It is here when I get up at 4:30 and have two full hours for writing before I have to head out to do chores at first light.

Even poison ivy looks pretty in autumn

The colors of autumn are red, yellow, orange, and gold.

Japanese Magnolia (yellow), Crepe Myrtle (orange), Dogwood (red)

And so it is with all the seasons. It's not the length of day or the turning of the sun in it's course across the sky. Summer was when everything was green and growing; winter is when it's not. The colors of winter are brown and grey. Spring will be here again when the wind blows warm after a rain instead of cold. It's when things start to grow and the world is filled with fresh green, yellow, and pink.

The blueberry bush has been the last to turn.

Some things just don't fit a human time table. Some things have a time table of their own.

Autumn © November 2014 by Leigh
at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

17 comments:

Frugal in Derbyshire said...

Lucky goats with that view!
What great pitures
The trees are just about empty here now and we are waiting to see what winter will throw at us. Last year was very mild.
Gill

Leigh said...

Gill, sadly yesterday's hard rain knocked almost all the leaves to the ground! Just after I'd gotten this post all ready to go. Oh well!

I have mixed feelings about winter. When we have a cold one we seem to have less problems with insects in the garden the next summer. OTOH, I don't like being cold!

Mama Mess said...

Good morning! Such a beautiful post. That picture of the Japanese Maple leaves on the brick is a stunner. I love all the seasons God gives us and am so thankful He's planted us in a climate that has four seasons. They all have their purpose!

Valerie said...

The truth in your post is attested to by the fact that it is decidedly winter in Michigan today....more than a month before the calendar says it is winter.

Farmer Barb said...

I feel that the pursuit of appreciation is an undervalued sport. To be able to open my eyes and see the delicious variation in my world is a gift.

I look at my raking chore as an opportunity to get to know every inch of my property. I think back to when those same leaves were light green and tender. Then they turned dark green and interlocked to form a dense canopy to catch all the rain. They mellowed to their fall colors and gave me a quilted sky. Now, their brown shells will give me a pile of topsoil in two or three years. I appreciate all of the stages. I'm lucky. Some people just think of it as more work.

Unknown said...

You are right. Who ever thought to put a specific date for the start of a season? Nature determines the beginning and ending of seasons. I guess it is a human desire to always be in control, even when we obviously are not. Your autumn photos are lovely to look at as I sip my coffee this morning.

Woolly Bits said...

I noticed that difference in calendar and nature, when I came here. germany and ireland are not that far apart, but the seasons have a different timing nonetheless! spring starts earlier here (albeit with winds that are practically always cold:) and normally the autumnal feeling lasts longer! and winter... well, if we do get one:) I would like proper winters, with cold air, some snow and frost, but on the other hand over here they're rare and always lead to mayhem and problems. either the water pipes freeze or we can't go shopping (on the bike in the snow/ice is not fun!) etc... which proves that no matter what we wish for - nature always ends up stronger:)

Mom at home said...

I love fall. Winter came too soon here in Missouri. It is 9 degrees this morning. The leaves haven't even finished falling and now they are just freezing off. We did get the garden cleaned off and ready for next year but I didn't get the grape vines completely pruned. It was 70 one day and 20 the next and it has stayed cold.

Harry Flashman said...

All of our leaves are gone up here. It's very cold, 19 degrees at 10:00 a.m.

Winter has arrived in the mountains.

Renee Nefe said...

we usually have a late fall as well. This year that was pretty much October for us...although my trees hold onto their leaves til the first snow rips them down making it oh so much fun to rake them up.

This winter looks to be a doozie if our first cold snap is any indication. Usually we get snow and then a day or two later it is 60 degrees and everything melts away. Not so with our last storm. It was cold for two days before, then dumped with the snow, cold for two more days and we're now "warming up" to above freezing. brrr! Well like you said, less bugs.

Leigh said...

Goodwife, thank you! I love the seasons too and have really enjoyed this year's color. It isn't always so pretty. :)

Valerie, what a wonderful surprise to hear from you! I imagine Michigan is a frozen iceland! Seems an early winter for everybody.

Barb, well said! It took me awhile but like you, I finally figured out that some of the more routine chores were really opportunities to appreciate everything around me. I'm only glad I finally caught on, LOL

Brittany, that may be it. I'm not sure why a specific day has to be named on a calendar. I'm learning too, that the closer we live to the land, the more we follow the weather's lead in our plans for the day.

Bettina, I can empathize. Dan and I both miss the northern autumn and winter. Somewhat, I should say. My part of the country now, isn't as well prepared for the frigid cold. OTOH, they can keep the sweltering heat!

Mom at home, yikes! That's a pretty extreme change over 24 hours. Sounds like you did a fairly good job of preparation though.

Harry, the morning after I posted this the cold front caught up with us. Cold rain knocked all the pretty leaves off the trees and it looks like autumn blew by all too quickly. sigh

Renee, good thing you got your furnace taken care of!

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi! Feels like winter here the past couple of days but not officially winter on the calendar till next month! You are so right! Nancy

Su Ba said...

I loved the photos, Leigh.

Unknown said...

That was beautifully written Leigh. Do i have to get up at 4.30am to write like this? Perhaps, that's what i am missing. Sometimes writing can shift your mood. It can rev you up and motivate or it can slow you down to appreciate. Such is your writing. Cheers Lynda, from a very hot Oz.

Leigh said...

Nancy, winter followed pretty quickly after a brief autumn here, too. :(

Su Ba, thank!

Lynda, thank you! I find that sometimes writing is inspiration, sometimes it's work. Wish we could make a half & half trade on your heat for our cold!

Mark said...

Beautiful pics, Leigh. Like some of your other readers, our leaves are either brown or gone. (I'll get pics up this weekend.) We had snow on the ground, but today's rain melted it all.

Sandy Livesay said...

Leigh,

Your autumn is gorgeous, love all the beautiful colors of the leaves.
We are experiencing the cold again, with 50 mph winds. The snow received last week, has melted. All the leaves here are brown, dead, and no longer on the trees.