PREAMBLE: I wrote and put this post together on Thursday, the final day of October, but held it back so I could give the “before/after” post some time to be viewed first. Then serendipity took over. On Friday morning I visited Shawna Lemay’s Calm Things and her Friday post had a similar theme. In fact, I’m borrowing a poem she posted on Friday and am adding here for your enjoyment. Thank you Shawna.
“It is not our job to remain whole.
We came to lose our leaves
Like the trees, and be born again,
Drawing up from the great roots.” ~Robert Bly
The time disappeared like sun that melts into the horizon. I can’t tell you how long I spent in my yard taking these photographs. It may have been half an hour, perhaps an hour, likely more. Like a child discovering the forest for the first time, I too felt I was discovering the remains of these beauties. The air was calm, moist with dew, and laced with the scent of the sea. Birds chattered, the dogs tags jangled, now and then the eagles & seagulls would shriek, but nothing was severe. It was a lovely time to be in the garden.
The leaves & petals intrigue me, catch my eye. I’m not one to cut down the spent flowers too soon — there is more to their life than the perky baby face stage. To others, these are dead and worthless but to me they are full of interest in their wrinkles, spots, and folds — like a person who has lived a long weathered life. There are stories between the spaces. And beauty too.
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ~Lucy Maud Montgomery
This fading coneflower reminds me of a ballerina.
and then there are the evergreens with a life of their own
“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” ~Lauren D. Stefano
Absolutely terrific, Diane, I find this to be utterly poignant and profound my friend!!
Gorgeous, Diane. Fall…in your parts…really is the grand finale.
I have been up to my ying yang in New York City pics as you know, so apologies for taking so long to get back here for a visit. I love what you shared here; it slows me down and brings me back to earth — after being up in the sky for a while! I love the way you write about this time of year –yes there is more than the perky baby face stage! — and the Bly poem is a great one, as others have said. Is that a Euonymous Burning Bush in the last pic? Love that colour and pattern so much! Thanks for sharing this deeper, more profound look at the garden!
What a magnificent series of images this is, Diane!
I too, love flowers that are past their prime.
I really feel that they are just as beautiful.
What an amazing photograph of the spider web.
I love the way it is kind of tucked away in the tree.
A late October garden offers so much to explore…and if we understand the truth of beauty we see it at the beginning and the end of a cycle. I’m so glad that you shared the Bly poem. It touched me deeply this morning and it is one I will keep to remember.
The quote just really spoke to me this morning…to be born again…
Beautiful. Between the kids picking anything with color and the dogs (especially the visiting puppy) my gardens look… well… flat. 🙂
There is that beauty in things faded that is so ethereal. Your photos capture that beauty perfectly.
I totally understand getting lost in time while photographing those last remnants – I think I spent my extra hour today doing just that!
Have a wonderful week!
What beautiful images here. I too have been spending time capturing the plant skeletons left in my garden and plan to post them soon. I just may have to borrow that beautiful poem you found on Shawna’s site…she always post the most amazing works there…too good not to share! Diane, it’s amazing how much we have in common, from photography to cooking, to poetry…please know that I visit you here often but I’m not always good at commenting..sometime life just gets a bit hectic and the hours just fly by…