Susann and I live on the edge of a ravine filled with big-leaf maples, one of the dominant trees in the Pacific Northwest. The maples share the ravine with alders and a variety of other native and non-native species.
These maples don't show the dramatic color produced by the sugar maples of New England. Their big leaves go from green, to green edged with yellow, and then to brown in about two weeks.
It's a lovely sight to watch the leaves tumbling out of the trees. And the ravine fills with a clattering sound as the leaves fall into the shrubs and grasses below.
The raking of fallen leaves is lovely work for someone who spends too much time in front of a monitor. They go into the compost bin, along with everything else vegetable.
Truthfully, autumn isn't my favorite time of the year. I miss the longer days of summer and the bounty of mid-summer flowers. And I don't much like being cold.
But everything always changes, as Zen Master Seung Sahn used to say (over and over).
The seasons change. My moods change. Flowers turn to seeds. I get out the pile jacket, scarf and beret. There's a rhythmical familiarity to all this - even my changing mood feels like an old friend.
Everything. Always. Changes.
That's our life.
Barry,
Maybe we are less being reminded by the changes in seasons, here in the tropics. Each day is the same as any other. But then again, one moment sunny sky, and the next, sudden thunderstorm. Come to think of it, it depicts more vividly the constant changes in life, often when you least expected.
Posted by: Justin Choo | October 29, 2008 at 08:20 AM
Ne Crass!
Posted by: Jordan | October 29, 2008 at 08:21 PM
Hi Justin - you know, I thought about you when I wrote this post - very different where you are! Thank you for your comment.
Hi Jordan - no, I'm very crass, a boor at heart.
Posted by: Barry Briggs | October 29, 2008 at 08:38 PM
Barry,
HA! I was thinking of ne cras, lol. my bad spelling can give the wrong message sometimes.
Posted by: Jordan | October 30, 2008 at 08:13 AM
That was yesterday. Today I'm sophisticated and charming!
;-)
Posted by: Barry Briggs | October 30, 2008 at 08:15 AM
Autumn is my favorite time of the year as well. I love the changing leaves too, especially the Aspen leaves here in Colorado.
When I rake up leaves I remember all the fun that I had as a kid jumping into the piles and long to do that again. Maybe I will. :)
Posted by: James | October 30, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Autumn is my favorite time of the year as well. I love the changing leaves too, especially the Aspen leaves here in Colorado.
When I rake up leaves I remember all the fun that I had as a kid jumping into the piles and long to do that again. Maybe I will. :)
Posted by: James | October 30, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Autumn is my favorite time of the year as well. I love the changing leaves too, especially the Aspen leaves here in Colorado.
When I rake up leaves I remember all the fun that I had as a kid jumping into the piles and long to do that again. Maybe I will. :)
Posted by: James | October 30, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Autumn is my favorite time of the year as well. I love the changing leaves too, especially the Aspen leaves here in Colorado.
When I rake up leaves I remember all the fun that I had as a kid jumping into the piles and long to do that again. Maybe I will. :)
Posted by: James | October 30, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Hi James, thanks for your comment! Today I raked up a big pile of dry leaves - and I thought about jumping into them for just a moment. Then I thought about this old "rental car" and decided to put them in the compost instead.
Have fun!
Barry
Posted by: Barry Briggs | October 30, 2008 at 04:39 PM