A Second Spring

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

Last weekend we tackled many of the tasks of putting a garden away. We took down the gazebo, stored the furniture, deep watered the trees, shrubs and perennials, chucked much material into the compost and stored away the pots. There is still compost to mound up and burlap screens to place, but they will come later.

 

First I had to stop, dazzled, as I entered the back garden early in the morning after a little jaunt. The sun had just made it over the roof of the house and was sending slants of liquid light through the last vestiges of the garden.

 

There were beads of silver gleaming up at me from along the path.

 

I had intended to go in the house for the hot breakfast hubs was cooking, but instead found myself on my belly, in the dew, with my camera.

 

I silently thanked my neighbours for having so many beautiful trees, especially the oaks. It really is my favourite leaf in the fall.

 

We've had a stunning autumn so far with beautiful weather and brilliant, long-lasting colour. It has lasted so long this year that I feel time has slowed down, allowing me to really savour, for the first time in ages, this luminious season. I will concede that it has, to some measure, restored my soul after this year's all too brief spring and summer. It has loosened up my heart and made me almost giddy some days. I needed that.

I hope your autumn has been just what you needed too. :)

Something about September

In these brilliant golden days with the light leaning sideways as it lists away, our inner selves seem to rise up to respond to the shifting of the earth. The natural world is very busy this time of year; birds are rising and flocking, squirrels are gathering and storing, and trees are changing colour. Profound changes; all necessary for survival.

September seems to urge us toward awareness of the changes we need to make in our own lives, whether it’s cleaning closets or calling that estranged family member, or picking up that camera, paint brush or pen. It’s a time to put our house in order and acknowledge and honour our own place in the world.

A blogger whose writing I so admire, Rilla, recently posted about September feeling very "poemy". I couldn't agree more. Her post got me to thinking about September and music.

What would be the perfect instrument to capture the spirit of September? For me, I realized, it is probably the flute. Played in the late afternoon and heard from a distance. Strange choice perhaps, but I find it carries a certain melancholy wistfulness apropos of saying good-bye to the festive nature of summer.

There is something about September and the creative spirit. I begin planning my concert and theatre-going season.

I get art framed that we have purchased over the last few months. I look for beautiful things, especially pottery, this time of year.

I crave big, fat books. I dig out my old Norton Anthologies and re-read poetry. I take my son to music lessons and bang the drums and dance with him.

I savour every last golden moment in the garden and plan for next year's. I fall in love with the scent of gingerbread again. And I walk in the woods and dream.

I found this video of a jazz flutist who captures that something about September perfectly with his rendition of Autumn in New York.

Here’s to a “poemy” September for you all. I hope September helps you find your muse. :-)