Clear skies and cold nights, but those colours!
How can our world not simply take your breath away? The stunning beauty that surrounds us never ceases to amaze me. The cloud cover in the last few weeks has been extensive, wishing for a bit more sunshine as the reds and oranges and yellows start to explode around us and quickly fall to the ground:) Last new moon the lake was so calm you thought you might be able to walk on it as the stars and mars were reflected in the water.
The Fall colours are in full swing, the fields are still green and the corn and soy crops have yet to be harvested. There has been no frost at the lake but in some surrounding areas have been hit. The docks are starting to come in and boats parked in the old barns. this week the cottage dock will come in. The boards need to come out and we will lay it on its side out of the water. The shifting ice over the winter can destroy anything left in as the winds and currents move things about during freeze and thaw. Hard to imagine that today, it is warm, the warmest it has been in a few weeks, but we shall not be tricked;) Yesterday a high of 9° celcius, today 28°….the wild roller coaster ride of temperatures is upon us! This scene of green and blue is quickly disappearing!
…and frankly, I don’t want to be wading in the lake at 9° degrees so it will be goodbye dock for this year! It seems the colours almost change overnight, we go from green to a rainbow of earth tones almost magically, the result of chemical processes that take place in the tree as the seasons change. In the Fall, because of changes in the length of daylight and changes in temperature, the leaves stop their food-making process. The chlorophyll breaks down, the green color disappears, and the yellow to orange colors become visible and give the leaves part of their fall beauty.
This time of year always gives me pause to think. Everything changes, all the time, yet humans are so frightened of change. How can we overcome that, we must as we are constantly surrounded by change. Perhaps if we lived longer, to see what we have done, both good and bad and to truly learn from our mistakes, humanity as a whole seems doomed to repeat the same mistakes over, and over, over again. Will we ever learn? Perhaps that is why the constant change around us gives me hope for the future when the news about the state of the world is not good, there ARE good people, tolerant people, open-minded people, there are, I just wish they were the majority.
So, we live on, and try to be positive and amazed at the life and beauty around us. The latest rains and heat have caused an explosion in the mushroom population! What an incredible sight! They grow, and are gone in such a short time, the bracket fungus on the dead trees and stumps and roots will be here next year though:)
They also are getting eaten, by our small resident raccoon. I went to photograph a small grouping only to find them all gnawed upon:) The bird feeders have to come in every night or I can hear her swinging from them at all hours of the night. I had no idea she was such an acrobat, the other evening, before dark, she was out and climbing the clothes line that holds the feeders hand over hand upside down!
Fabulous Fall. Perhaps ask me in a week when the temperatures are supposed to dip below the freezing part how I feel but with the warm winds of yesterday still in my memory, this is perfect! The milk weed seeds were flying about in the field as the horses went from green patch to green patch of grass, enjoying their last bit of Summer food. As we rode through the bush the paths were littered with leaves creating a fabulous swishing sound as we walked down them, another week or so and most of the leaves will be gone…
Milkweed seeds flying about in the fields
But for now, what a glorious show of colour. The sun is shining the colours are exploding from every nook and cranny of woods and fence rows. The Perth farmers market is closed for the year but the local farm stand at Miller’s Bay Farm is full of Fall produce, brussel sprouts and cabbage and wonderful carrots, even tomatillos to Mike’s delight! Walking out this laneway every morning to catch a glimpse of a deer, or the bear perhaps is an amazing way to start and finish the day, so for now amigos, saludos and may your path be filled with colour!
Love your pictures! Although Spring is my favourite season because green is my favorite colour, Fall is a close second! Your description is very convincing!