Wednesday, November 11, 2009

One November Morning

The early November air is mild and sunny. There is something about Indian Summer weather that feels like a reprieve, a reverent moment handed out before everything goes all cold and white. What's left of the bright leaves spiral down in a soft wind that, in the shade, has a bite to it though the sunshine where I sit is pure, warm gold. The blueberry bush at the corner of the house has gone all crimson. Amid the pines in the back, maple leaves blaze like yellow flames.


It has been a long, sweet fall, broken only by a rainy spell in October.

I puttered in the garden a short time this morning, pulling dead squash vines from the fence and yanking up withered pepper plants and eggplant stalks by the roots. When the wind stops blowing, I will rake the leaves and bring them by the wheelbarrow full to mulch the garden beds. In the flower garden, the rosebush by the door is still blooming.


The roadsides, however, are bereft of flowers. Only the skeletons of Queen Anne’s Lace remain. When the snow comes, the small brown seed cups will collect the flakes and offer them up like gifts.

Too soon the warm sun drops behind the western mountains and dusk falls, leaving only the cool breeze and the drifting leaves behind.

8 comments:

Meggie said...

How beautifully you paint, for us, with your words.
Thankyou.

molly said...

I'm hoping it will still be nice and Fall-ish in Ohio next week.... I'd much prefer the tail end of Autumn than the first blast of winter.They can save that for when I leave!

I grew Queen Anne's lace once, from seed. It was gorgeous and made me feel SO clever.

Pauline said...

Thanks, Meggie. It's a beautiful place I live in :)

Molly, have a good time!

TomCat said...

Here in Oregon the trees turn and it gets wet. I miss the true fall. Beautifully written, Pauline.

Barbara said...

Just think, if you were a bear you might be looking for a place to hibernate just about now!

Pauline said...

Thanks TC - Oregon though, especially the coast, has such majestic beauty of its own, even in the wind and rain!

Barbara - I would indeed!

steven said...

pauline - my visits here are not frequent enough - this is gorgeous, tender writing. you're so inside the experience it's breathtaking!!! i love the comment about queen anne's lace. it's a favourite plant of mine. thankyou for this. steven

Pauline said...

Thank you, Steven - high praise indeed from someone whose own writing and posts are breathtaking.