Falling into autumn

Come said the wind to
the leaves one day,
Come o’re the meadows
and we will play.
Put on your dresses
scarlet and gold,
For summer is gone
and the days grow cold.
–a children’s song from the 1880’s

The temperatures are hovering in the 60s, and rainwater’s flowing down the parched hillsides, dousing fires as it quenches the thirsty chaparral. A hummingbird is perched on our backyard feeder, showering the begonias as she shakes her rain-soaked wings. You have to look hard to find them, perhaps, but these are signs of early autumn in the land of year-round foliage and (almost) perpetual sunshine.

These seasonal changes are different, of course, than the ones I saw in rural New England. The skies were wooly-gray much of the time, whether from misty rain or wood burning fireplaces. No worries, though—I just bundled up, downed some diet hot chocolate, and traded my flip-flops (temporarily) for warm socks and closed-toe shoes.

 

My little Coolpix doesn’t do fashion shoots all that well, but Mother Nature knows how to compensate. Here she is, all decked out in her autumn finery.  

 

I am glad for the overcast skies, glad also for the rainfall. I’m especially happy, though, to settle into home again. Today I’m going to turn on the gas fireplace, cozy up under my crocheted afghan, and find my way back into my writing.

But first, how ’bout I put on the teakettle? I’m craving your company this morning. LiveJournal is lonely these days, don’t you think? Tell me what fall looks like in your neck of the woods. One lump of sugar or two? And would you like a slice of lemon? Tell me, please, what’s the latest with you and yours?

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67 Comments

  1. I love the pictures!! Gorgeous…and they make me feel better about the fact that the cold ended our fall prematurely. Most of the trees are just dead and brown now (sigh). Great song too!

  2. Beautiful! I keep trying to take pictures (actually, I want to take “school pictures” of my kids, and can’t stomach the prices that Lifetouch now sells them for, especially when I have a portrait setting on my camera and can take much more interesting ones myself), but it keeps raining. We’ve seriously had two days when it hasn’t rained in the past six weeks? And those were too cloudy to get any good pictures. But the leaves are glowing in the rain, which is nice to see, even if I’m not getting any good photos.

    • Wow, that’s a lot of rain! Still, it’s wonderful that your eye focuses on the glowing leaves…those are the images that help carry you through the darker days of winter.

  3. First of all, I love this: “The skies were wooly-gray…” Perfect!

    I am from the land of wooly skies and scarlet trees and I LOVE this time of year. I love it so much, that I actually missed my exit driving into work today — so distracted was I by the color show.

    Thanks for sharing your pictures, and enjoy your tea. 🙂

    • Thanks for sharing a little bit of what you see through your windshield on your way to work!Gray and scarlet go so well together, don’t they? I love the sugar maple foliage, fiery red amidst the yellows and orange leaves of aspens and oak…

  4. It does seem like LJ has been quiet lately, doesn’t it?

    Here in Maryland fall is just starting. Some trees have lost all their leaves, and some are still mostly green. But it getting chilly out! Less than 50 degrees when I left for work this morning.

    • It’s been very quiet–and I’ve missed our back-and-forth conversations. I hope that our friends can find time for tea again, now that autumn has arrived.

      Thanks for showing me a sliver of autumn in Maryland. Soon enough, it’ll be winter there. Still, it’s nice to think about those tenacious green leaves, hanging on for dear life.

  5. Lovely photos!

    What’s with the Moose Circus? A few summers ago, my city had decorated moose in various places–a bride and groom moose couple in front of a china store; a swimming shark-moose in the pool in front of City Hall… Sort of a moose “happening.”

  6. Thanks for sharing the lovely photos, Melodye. It makes me hungry to visit rural New England again, though.

    I’m enjoying the sound and smells of rain washing the world clean (finally!) and hoping that it doesn’t cause more disasters in the areas that have already suffered from fire (though I have to admit that there’s this part of me that says, “that’s what you get for living in the hills!”).

    Tea sounds wonderful. I’m ready for my second cup.

    • Wasn’t it wonderful to wake to the sounds of rain pattering on the roof?

      I cancelled an 8:00 appointment this morning, though. No way was I going to venture out on those rain-slicked highways, especially during rush hour! It felt better, anyway, to take this day at a more leisurely pace. Glad you stopped by for a cuppa tea. 🙂

  7. Thanks for sharing the lovely photos, Melodye. It makes me hungry to visit rural New England again, though.

    I’m enjoying the sound and smells of rain washing the world clean (finally!) and hoping that it doesn’t cause more disasters in the areas that have already suffered from fire (though I have to admit that there’s this part of me that says, “that’s what you get for living in the hills!”).

    Tea sounds wonderful. I’m ready for my second cup.

    • It’s a beautiful day for writing, isn’t it? And also, for teatime with friends. I’m thinking (hoping) our friends will flock back to LJ, now that the weather’s changing. I’m always glad for their (your) company!

  12. Re: thanks for asking! here’s ours

    Thank you for showing me your corner of the world. I love the “freckling” snow and the illustrations of your stove pipe. Wow, sounds like you’re preparing for a harsh winter ahead.

    (I would have left a comment on your entries, but it seems like you’ve got that option disabled.)

  13. Re: thanks for asking! here’s ours

    Thank you for showing me your corner of the world. I love the “freckling” snow and the illustrations of your stove pipe. Wow, sounds like you’re preparing for a harsh winter ahead.

    (I would have left a comment on your entries, but it seems like you’ve got that option disabled.)

  16. Beautiful photos Melodye! I’ll take two lumps, please.

    I’m glad you enjoyed the ” wooly-gray” skies and Mother Natures handiwork. What’s it look like in my neck of the woods?

    Springfield Autumn-Dave MacKenzie

    • Oooh, aaaah. Splendiforous foliage–thanks for sharing!

      Vermont was so very lovely. If we’d had more time, I’d have stopped by your neck of the woods. That idea is never far from my thoughts, but sad to say, it was too far to travel this time ’round. Soon…soon.

      • Actually all my Birthday Wishes posts have been of Vermont in all her glory, so if you want to see more just stop by my LJ blog. In fact, all the photos I post are of Vermont.

        I recognized that covered bridge photo from when we used to go visit Reverend Stimpson and his family, who were neighbors of ours when they lived in Windsor.

        Yes, one of these days we’ll make it happen.

        • I figured as much–each greeting is gorgeous.

          You’re talking about the green covered bridge, right? It was the first we encountered on our trip. How cool to think of you rumbling over that covered road, on the way to visit a Reverend. A storybook notion, yes?

  17. These photos are beautiful. My daughter and I enjoyed them.

    We had a lovely day together, shopping, eating, and getting our nails done. Tonight, we watch The Proposal.

    Thanks for the chat. 🙂

    • Thanks for stopping by for tea–and for inviting your daughter to join us. 🙂

      Sounds like the two of you had a lovely day together. Lucky girls! From such experiences, wonderful memories are shaped. xoxo

  18. Such beauty in your pictures. We don’t have anything like that here. We have trees in town and some will show fall colors but on only has to drive out in the country to see fields white as snow. That is a cotton field waiting for the farmer to come pick its fruit and have it woven in many coats of many colors. I’ll just have a cup of tea without any sugar and what a lovely thought you had.

    • Cotton fields, eh? I’d love to see a picture of that. I remember seeing them on road trips when I was little! And I remember also a coat of many colors…Joseph’s, right? 🙂

      Thanks for stopping by for tea. I always enjoy your company. Y’all come back now, hear?

  19. Such beauty in your pictures. We don’t have anything like that here. We have trees in town and some will show fall colors but on only has to drive out in the country to see fields white as snow. That is a cotton field waiting for the farmer to come pick its fruit and have it woven in many coats of many colors. I’ll just have a cup of tea without any sugar and what a lovely thought you had.

  20. Such a beautiful, wonderful place. I’m sorry that the reason for going back may not have been pure “fun” but wow… to be surrounded by such amazing beauty. I’m envious. I really love that bridge… it’s just gorgeous. Wow.

    • You would totally love it back there, Kevin. So much beauty, so many wonderful places to explore. And the covered bridges are magical, aren’t they? If I wrote picture books, I’d create a story around them.

      • The covered bridges are incredibly magical. I always stop and stare at those pictures the longest… and I can’t explain why they draw me like they do.

        I have no doubts that I’d love it back there. Such a different way of life from the hustle and bustle of Southern California, I’d imagine.

      • The covered bridges are incredibly magical. I always stop and stare at those pictures the longest… and I can’t explain why they draw me like they do.

        I have no doubts that I’d love it back there. Such a different way of life from the hustle and bustle of Southern California, I’d imagine.

  21. I finally could go through your gorgeous photo display tonight. Beautiful! Ah, sometimes I miss October in the east.

    And wasn’t it fun to write at the same time if not in the same space today! I drank my tea, wrote, and felt your sweet presence that spurred my words. 🙂

    I’m very glad you’re home, Melodye.

    • I’m very glad to be home–and to be among friends. Leaf-peeping aside, this was a rough trip. Teatime and writing time with you, Lorraine…ahhhh, just what the doctor ordered.

      I’m missing you lots these days. Wishing very much that we could sit together over tea and scones in Powell’s…

  22. I finally could go through your gorgeous photo display tonight. Beautiful! Ah, sometimes I miss October in the east.

    And wasn’t it fun to write at the same time if not in the same space today! I drank my tea, wrote, and felt your sweet presence that spurred my words. 🙂

    I’m very glad you’re home, Melodye.

    • Yeah, we have to look a little closer for signs of autumn, don’t we? I hear it’s going to be in the 90s again this weekend…

      I’m glad to be back. And I’m glad to see you again! xoxo

    • Yeah, we have to look a little closer for signs of autumn, don’t we? I hear it’s going to be in the 90s again this weekend…

      I’m glad to be back. And I’m glad to see you again! xoxo

  26. These are gorgeous photos. And that straw tin man made me smile. I’ve never seen anything like that. I miss the range of colors back east. Colorado doesn’t have much red or orange but we’ve got plenty of yellow.

    I can’t decide if I’d like to drive through that covered bridge or if it would make me feel claustrophobic.

    • I think you’d like driving through the covered bridge. The wood slats have spaces between them, so you can see slivers of sunshine and foliage as you’re driving through. It’s airier than you might think, plus there’s light at the end of the tunnel. 🙂 (And last but not least, it’s romantic and cozy. With the right person…)

      I like the tin man, too. We saw lots of similarly made characters, but somehow the tin man seemed the most iconic. Creative use for hay/alfalfa, no?

  27. We’re having a nor’easter

    Actually we’re supposed to get 2 nor’easters = one tonight and one over the weekend.

    I live abt a mile from the ocean, so we’re in for lots of wind and rain off the coast. [nothing like those beautiful photos you took ]

    One year we lived across the street from the ocean – when a hurricane came up the coast – I went out to the boardwalk – like dozens of other ‘tourists’
    Warning – don’t ever do that – the wind makes the sand blow right in your face even though you’re 30 feet above the beach- and it continues – painful – not fun.

    • Re: We’re having a nor’easter

      What in zee heck is a nor’easter? It sounds dramatic and dark and…wet. I’m guessing that’s going to pull down any remaining leaves. Am I right?

      See, this is one of the things I love about LJ–we can learn so much about each other’s regions and lifestyles, etc. Like an ongoing travelogue. 🙂

      Stay safe and dry, my friend.

      When you mentioned wind and sand in your face, our Santa Ana winds come to mind. Of course, they’re dry and hot. Not like a nor’easter, right?

    • Re: We’re having a nor’easter

      What in zee heck is a nor’easter? It sounds dramatic and dark and…wet. I’m guessing that’s going to pull down any remaining leaves. Am I right?

      See, this is one of the things I love about LJ–we can learn so much about each other’s regions and lifestyles, etc. Like an ongoing travelogue. 🙂

      Stay safe and dry, my friend.

      When you mentioned wind and sand in your face, our Santa Ana winds come to mind. Of course, they’re dry and hot. Not like a nor’easter, right?

  28. We’re having a nor’easter

    Actually we’re supposed to get 2 nor’easters = one tonight and one over the weekend.

    I live abt a mile from the ocean, so we’re in for lots of wind and rain off the coast. [nothing like those beautiful photos you took ]

    One year we lived across the street from the ocean – when a hurricane came up the coast – I went out to the boardwalk – like dozens of other ‘tourists’
    Warning – don’t ever do that – the wind makes the sand blow right in your face even though you’re 30 feet above the beach- and it continues – painful – not fun.

  29. Lovely to see this post and read all the wonderful comments. My excuse is that I am busy beyond belief with writing stuff. Sorry I haven’t been around. Between taking a class that requires me to both read/critique and then post new pages each week plus the freelance deadlines and real life, well…not much time leftover.

    Hope to be more caught up soon.

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