Saturday 28 November 2020

Autumn has Almost Finished

.....many leaves have now finished tumbling to the ground. Don't be sad, it is Mother Nature's way of protecting her trees, and making sure that they survive the coming winter and beyond. If the leaves stayed on the trees during the winter months, and new ones didn't appear in the Spring, then our lovely trees would have no way of processing food for themselves. 

Autumn Fires

In the other gardens

And all up in the vale,

From the Autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail!


Pleasant summer over,

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

The grey smoke  towers.

Sing a son of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall!

Robert Louis Stevenson

36 comments:

  1. Hello Rosemary, All seasons have their good points, although winter perhaps has fewer good points than the others. Still, one good feature of having the leaves fall is that it is the perfect time to take architectural photographs, without the leaves obscuring all the features. Also, we can see further into the woods, and see the shape of the land, and all the little hills and valleys that are normally shaded by the canopy or hidden by the lower leaves.
    --Jim

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    1. Hello Jim - always best to look for the positives, you are right though about being able to see more architectural and landscape features when the trees become bare. I always like to see a row of winter trees on a hilltop looking like cutout Victorian silhouettes against the skyline. I am, however, glad that I live somewhere with four very distinctive seasons.

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  2. Here in the north of the country so many of our trees are evergreens and we don't get the vibrant autumn colours.

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  3. Dearest Rosemary,
    Yes, we have been watching the leaves all dwindle down, to create a layer of rich humus during winter, with plenty of rain helping it decay. That indeed becomes food for the trees and shrubs for the spring to uptake energy from.
    After all, time is passing very fast; at least that's what we think.
    Soon spring will be on our doorsteps...
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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    1. Dear Mariette - you are right, before we know it, messengers indicating the arrival of Spring, will be showing in our gardens.

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  4. There's a purpose to everything in Nature.

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    1. That is a good reasons why we should not mess around with our environment.

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  5. And the cycle continues ... This week I learnt something I'm sure those in northern climes knew already: the reason North America gets the vibrant red shades on the autumnal trees and most of Europe doesn't is to do with an aphid defence system. The particular aphids are are found in N. A. but not in Europe. Such beautiful results from some basic natural science!

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    1. Thank you, that is really interesting to learn about. I had always assumed that it was because they have a lot of Maple Trees.

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  6. Thank you for that lovely poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, dear Rosemary - I didn't know that and love it!!
    As to losing the leaves now that autumn is almost over: I love to look at the lilac: you can see the fat buds already being there - giving hope for next year and the confidence: there will be another spring!

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    1. Dear Britta I must take a look at my lilac now and see their little fat buds - thank you for letting me know.

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  7. Leaves, they are sometimes messy and gutters to be cleaned when leaves fall in them - but the beautiful of autumn leaves, amazing.
    Lovely poem.

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    1. Fortunately we do not have any large trees close to our house that shed leaves - they can certainly be a nuisance if they block your gutters.

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  8. Nice poem and I hope we are moving to a better year than this 2020...

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    1. I second that, here's to a much better, kinder 2021.

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  9. Dear Rosemary,
    I see that you are having fun with new PicMonkey. I knew that you would be our trail blazer. It is 16 degrees F outside. All color has vanished from our trees and its a good thing because the coming snow would certainly destroy them. But it was glorious while it lasted.

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    1. Dear Gina - I don't like the idea of winter snow, but if it turns up here, and then last for just one day, then I would be quite happy with that.
      I have explored the fringes of new PicMonkey, but not much. Hope that you will enjoy it - there are one or two offerings that do appear to be quite interesting.

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  10. Our fall color is late this year and it's still warm during the day. Tonight a big storm due and temps. will plummet - coats, lined boots and hats will be reached for at long last - perhaps even a first hot water bottle night ahead!

    We still have millions of leaves of every hue to come down - even though Bob raked and blew a ton to the curb this past week! The City leaf collection vacuum truck will show up soon - one of the now only two collections, the second in Jan. We are surround by oak, maple, hickory and more, all very old trees - this was once a farm! Raleigh is named "The City of Oaks" - they are everywhere, and we also have a lot of evergreen pines.

    Spring can wait - I much prefer Autumn and Winter!
    Mary x

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    1. Our lawn is forever needing to be cleared of leaves, and we have the lawn fertiliser people coming at the end of the week. We need to keep on top of removing the leaves or else the treatment will be a waste of money.
      I can't wait for the Spring to arrive, but how many weeks will that be?X

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  11. I have noticed birds are beginning to migrate from here, I do love this Season, the closure of the year and hibernation of all the good things needed to bring Spring.

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    1. That is very true Betty, but I wish that I didn't feel as if I have been hibernating for the past 8 months!

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  12. To everything there is a season...which I think came from the Bible. I for one like the different seasons, but am already for the next before it arrives. Fancy photo work Rosemary...wish I had your skills.

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    1. I do like that quote Janey and also the lines that follow it too.
      I know that I shall be ready for the Spring especially as it gets nearer.

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  13. Nice imagery. Do you scan some of the leaves in or are they all hand drawn? Very artistic anyway. Or is there an app for creative art features out there that I'm unaware of?

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    1. It was a bit of an experiment - you can give PicMonkey a free trial for 7 days, then there is an annual fee to pay if you want to continue.

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  14. Ah, Just noticed an earlier comment answer to that question.

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  15. Our leaves have been intensely coloured this year, and most of them have fallen. I love having four seasons after living so long in the tropics.

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    1. When it is very hot for a long period during the summer - I dream of winter - there is no pleasing some of us, but I too love having the four contrasting seasons.

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  16. I love the sight of yellow, orange and red leaves on the ground in my garden , they will stay there and decompose slowly during winter .

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    1. Most of our leaves fall onto the lawns so that we have to remove them order to cut the grass, but we put them all into our big compost bin.

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  17. What a lovely post and some words nice to remember...
    LOVE from a cold Sweden & Titti

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    1. It is chilly here too Titti - hope that you are keeping well and safe💙

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  18. Replies
    1. The next few months are my least favourite - roll on March.

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