Another photo run...

 

 

A glorious day, again!

 

 

After a morning spent in the Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall, watching and listening to a most beautiful presentation of Bach's St. Matthew's Passion I had a quick bowl of chicken soup for lunch and was then drawn outside by the sunshine and the geraniums that I have been meaning to bring indoors before we have a frost that decimates the blossoms.

 

Yesterday I raked up all the leaves that had fallen on the front lawn and filled one large bag. 

Then I cut the lawn and everything looked so tidy.  Of course, overnight the tree released another bagful, but that's alright - I take everything in moderation these days so I will work in tandem with the tree and fill my bags in accordance with its whims. 

 

The leaves fall patiently

Nothing remembers or grieves

The river takes to the sea

The yellow drift of leaves

Sara Teasdale

 

If only the river swept away all these leaves that gather on my lawns!!!!!

 

However today was not the day for raking leaves, - I could hear the river calling, - 'everything's golden here, come and see, come and see' - so off I went!

 

And so it was, golden, and very beautiful. 

In places richly bronzed......

and upstream the leaves were light and transparent, and they gleamed against the water below.

The water was quiet and the golden branches bent down to converse with it.

 

John Burrough says 'how beautiful leaves grow old.  How full of light and colour are their last days.

 

I followed the road around the bend,

through the ranches, and along beside the meadows, ringed with the brilliant colours of small shrubs and evergreens at the foot of the mountains - vivid where the sun strikes them, somber where they lie in shade.

 

 

 

I thought how lovely it would be to continue on through to the Ashnola, and see the beautiful waters of the creek as it crashes its way down the mountain, foaming white and green and the

darkest and richest blue.

 

However, I remembered I was alone (although I didn't feel alone) and the road

is winding and twisty, and perhaps

it would be wiser if I turned at the first wide spot in the road.

 

Autumn, the year's last loveliest smile.......William Cullen Bryant

And then there is that gorgeous October moon, at night!

 

The brilliant moon, and all the milky sky......Yeats.

You drive!!!!

Autumn in the Similkameen, and this afternoon I said to myself, "A good day for a photo trip - you drive"!!!!

Well I missed my driver terribly, - no taking pictures out of the side window while he zipped along, - nobody to point out terrific possibilities or special captures, but I had a feeling he might be along and enjoying the drive.

Because I had to stop to take pictures I had to watch for safe places and unfortunately missed some lovely shots as I haven't yet (or likely ever will) mastered the art of snapping photos while I drive....

It was sunny, and the valley was shimmering!

 

Not just the orchards, but the trees in the river bottom

glowed in the sunlight

 

 

Off in the distance the Chapaka hills were that misty blue

fading a little with each passing mile

 

 

At the upper end of Ginty's pond the brilliant blue water was edged with grasses,

naples yellow, creams and oranges and cool greens

 

 

 

A few ducks

but the majority of them were in the lower pond, plying their way through the silvery scum

that covers the water

I didn't venture along the river bank, as Charles would have done,

but I found some lovely golden coins clinging to the trees

along the roadway

 

 

Closer to home the rich gold of the tree along the front fence

 

 

The last of the roses

 

 

 

and a lovely potpourri of colour in the back garden.

 

 

 

A perfect way to spend the afternoon

and treasure memories.......

 

ABC Wednesday
October 16th, 2013

The letter is N for Ogden Nash

 

I think that I have been here before with Ogden Nash, but he writes such delightful nonsense that

I thought another go-around might be appropriate and fun.

Well, not so much fun for Jack-do-good-for-nothing

 

but words of wisdom and warning, nevertheless

 

in this day and age!

And here is a little bonus......poor Samuel Shy!

 

 

For more interesting and informative Ns nod on over to ABC Wednesday, here,

with thanks to Denise and Roger and all kind blog readers.

Nature from a distance

Skype is calling, and I hurry to answer...

I went for a walk in the woods today.
With my youngest son, and his Ipod
by way of Skype.....
Up in the Chilcotin where the meadowfolk live.

With his camera he showed me a squirrel
his tail curled up over his back,
sitting silent and unmoving,
(not even an eyelash)
on the branch of an evergreen tree.

Below him, in a pile on the ground
was a great mound of acorns,
not scraped up by human hands
but put there one by one
by this far-seeing fellow,
(or is it two by two, - one in each side
of the squirrel's pouchy cheeks)

sensing approaching winter
and the snow that will protect his stash
and keep his little tummy full.



Yesterday we inspected the beaver's
preparation and how she provides,
and my son told me of a chance encounter he had
with a muskrat and a Mallard duck,
holding conversation in the middle
of the creek.

and of the symbiotic relationship
the muskrat has with the beaver,
she providing him with winter shelter in return
for food and building materials.
And I thought it would be nice to know
this sociable muskrat,
and how he would inspire Beatrix Potter
to include him in her tales, and the stories
she could tell about him, Count Middlemarch Muskrat.

It is a grand and splendid world!!!!