“Is not this a true autumn day?
Just the still melancholy that I love –
The birds are consulting about their migrations,
the trees are putting on the hectic
or the pallid hues of decay,
and begin to strew the ground,
that one’s very footsteps may not disturb
the repose of earth and air,
while they give us a scent
that is perfect anodyne
to the restless spirit.
Delicious Autumn!
My very soul is wedded to it,
and if I were a bird
I would fly
about the earth
seeking the
successive autumns.”
by George Eliot
Birch trees were thought to be a purifier, so bundles of birch twigs were once used to sweep away old spirits, cementing its reputation as the species used to make witches brooms, or besoms.
Tell me, what do you enjoy most about autumn?
the leaves. i love leaves on the ground. in fact, i think your question has provoked me to write about how i feel with leaves falling.
your images again are superb
I like the moodiness of the light, the beauty in decay & fallen gardens, which in turn ignites my pleasure in mysterious and melancholy poetry and music in the minor keys.
This poem by Edward Hays sums up beautifully what I love about this season:
O sacred season of Autumn, be my teacher,
for I wish to learn the virtue of contentment.
As I gaze upon your full-colored beauty,
I sense all about you
an at-homeness with your amber riches.
You are the season of retirement,
of full barns and harvested fields.
The cycle of growth has ceased,
and the busy work of giving life
is now completed.
I sense in you no regrets:
you’ve lived a full life.
I live in a society that is ever-restless,
always eager for more mountains to climb,
seeking happiness through more and more possessions.
As a child of my culture,
I am seldom truly at peace with what I have.
Teach me to take stock of what I have given and received,
may I know that it’s enough,
that my striving can cease
in the abundance of Life’s grace.
May I know the contentment
that allows the totality of my energies
to come to full flower.
May I know that like you I am rich beyond measure.
As you, O Autumn, take pleasure in your great bounty,
let me also take delight
in the abundance of the simple things in life
which are the true source of joy.
With the golden glow of peaceful contentment
may I truly appreciate this autumn day.
Splendid compositions with beautiful autumnal colors! The prose by George Eliot really puts one in the mood. I love the smell of leaves, but not when they are burning, and being able to open the windows once again.