Happy Thanksgiving

fall Leaves 2
Originally uploaded by paynehollow

...if a little late.

Been a bit busy holiday-ing. Fall has peaked and gone on by already. The trees that were beautifully afire two weeks ago have mostly lost their leaves and we've mostly moved to the more austere beauty of winter in these parts.

The drought in my region somehow failed to stop the trees from showing their fall colors. We had a decent amount of rain this fall so perhaps that helped.

A couple of seasonal quotes, and then we'll move on.

I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.

~J. R. R. Tolkien

The breezes taste Of apple peel.
The air is full Of smells to feel-
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such.
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean with suds, the days
Are polished with a morning haze.

~September, John Updike