I just went outside to empty the ash bucket from the wood stove. It’s early evening and a light mist clings to the air as a storm approaches from the east. Without knowing why, I found myself transfixed for several minutes staring at nothing in particular. My eyes looked blankly at swaths of rust and honey covering the hills. The wind growled through the trees and golden leaves trickled down like snow. They didn’t come straight down, but lingered weightless…
Cape Cod in autumn is a magical place. Perfect weather, gorgeous beaches, glimpses of wild nature, and best of all, no crowds! I spent the weekend camping in Nickerson State Park with my three aunts, and needless to say, we had a wonderful time. I decided to stay an extra night on my own, and the park is nearly deserted. My company this evening was a precious cottontail rabbit who chose to forage near me as I ate my dinner. …
I had two flocks of turkeys pass through my yard today. I stopped to watch them, and in those moments, there was nothing else happening in the world. The sky rumbled, grey and pouty, as it began to spit like a child having a temper tantrum. I stood at my window, watching the golden maple leaves sway carelessly to the ground, feeling aware of the comfort of my home. Memories of my lifetime of autumns passed in an instant, as…
It’s peak foliage season here in Western Mass. The weather has been spectacular, with striking blue skies and streams of sunlight pouring through the fiery foliage. Leaves appear to glow, They rattle and rustle as if in a shamanic trance. And then they rain down, like gold coins, spreading a wealth of riches on the forest floor. I’ve always thought that fall foliage is nature’s fireworks display. It starts slowly – a burst of orange and red here and there,…
It’s been a challenging week. I’ve been struggling to go at a pace that my body doesn’t like. Meanwhile, life around me is slowing down. The leaves are starting to fall, the garden is winding down, and even the weeds seem to have stopped growing. The days are getting shorter, animals are preparing for winter, and there is less energy all around. Mother Nature is getting ready for the long winter’s rest ahead. So why shouldn’t I? Autumn is perhaps…
The work day is over, and I just looked up from my computer and found myself strangely startled by how beautiful it is out. It’s amazing how detached I can feel from nature while I’m “plugged in”, clicking away at my computer keyboard. But all it takes is two minutes of observation to bring me back to feeling more centered and connected with reality. Here’s what I just noticed: The magical, golden evening sunlight streaming through the trees A Daddy…
As far as days go, they don’t get any better than today. The foliage is at the peak of its kaleidoscopic grandeur, and the weather has been perfectly sublime. When I stepped out the door this morning, I gasped in awe at the golden umbrella arching over my driveway, glowing warmly in the early sun. And I asked myself, “How could this beautiful place possibly be my home? How did I get so lucky?” But I must confess, I gripe constantly about the…
Well, autumn has tip-toed in, slowly creeping up on us until we were left with no choice but to wave goodbye to the bright buoyancy of summer. The days are marked by the familiar cool crispness that makes you long for simpler bygone days, and the chilly nights draw you in toward the cozy warmth of home. Admittedly, I have mixed feelings about the fall. It’s a time of unparalleled beauty here in New England as the trees hum with…
It’s a quiet evening in the gentle weeks of early autumn. A choir of crickets hums into the darkness and the softly falling rain responds with muted applause as it taps the treetops. Autumn always makes me nostalgic. There is something about the slant of the sun, the mellow light filtering through auburn leaves, that brings wistful memories of childhood flooding back. I long to touch those moments again, but they just wander like harmless ghosts through my mind. You can’t…
Autumn is in full swing in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Just two hours north of Erving, MA, the trees have erupted into a picture-perfect display of earthy golds and reds. My heart has been heavy on this trip as I mourn the recent passing of my beloved cat, Puffer, but at the same time I am deeply moved by the breath-taking beauty of these gentle mountains. Everywhere I look it seems as though they are sprawled across the horizon,…