Autumn ♥ Love

Autumn can make me moody and melancholy. The dark, the damp, the dreary.

But this week such gloom and glum has been banished by our record-breaking warm and sunny weather – 74 degrees today! November! Not an occasion to squander.

So, the last two days have found me on a frantic and frenetic frenzy of photographing fall foliage!
Whew!
I simply decided to drive through my area and stop at all the places that I regularly pass and say “sometime I must come back and photograph that.” (Don’t you do that, too?)

Yesterday’s first stop was magic, no doubt. Lured by a liquid light swishing through multi-colored leaves in a park I’ve driven past hundreds of times, I was enchanted to discover sweet trees festooned with golden hearts!

And with such a sweet name – ‘Forest Pansy’, of the Redbud family. (Cersis canadensis)

Nature’s garlands, buntings and banners.
I left exhilarated, elated and extra-appreciative of living in such a gorgeous city.

AND so happy to share it with you, who are so lovely with your kind comments and visits. I’m really delighted to have you along on these adventures but I must admit to much more to come – can you stand it? Do let me know if you tire of autumn – I have lots of pretty flower photos to get us through winter but, gosh, this. is. happening. right. now!

See you tomorrow with more. I hope you are having a joyful week and thank you as always for your kindness and support.
xo – g

p. s. And in the middle of it all (thanks to my iPhone), I received some exciting news which I should be able to share on Saturday!

All Hallow’s Eve

All Hallow’s Eve. All Saint’s Eve. Samhain. Hallowe’en.

An ancient festival marking the end of light and warmth, and the transition to dark and cold.

The night when the curtain between the spirit world and the physical was thought to be torn aside, and the souls of those who had departed flew freely over Earth.

The skies they were ashen and sober;
The leaves they were crispèd and sere —
The leaves they were withering and sere;
It was night in the lonesome October
Of my most immemorial year;
It was hard by the dim lake of Auber,
In the misty mid region of Weir —
It was down by the dank tarn of Auber,
In the ghoul-haunted woodland of Weir.

– from Ulalume
by Edgar Allen Poe
A few other wonderful ghostly poems:
Ghost House
by Robert Frost
The Listeners
by Walter de la Mare
The Highwayman
by Alfred Noyes

Oh, I could go on and on! I’m sure you have your own favorites.

Wishing you a safe and Happy Halloween!

xo

– g
p. s. Notes on the image: The tree I photographed a couple of years ago, the moon is a separate shot I took last year. The birds are modified by me from a wonderful texture by Michelle Black at thephotoprofessional.com

Pumpkin Art

I’m not a big fan of orange – for me almost none goes a very long way – but I couldn’t let October pass without tipping my hat to one of my favorite autumn destinations. These stunning paintings and beautiful displays are the work of artist and farmer Eddie Gordon, of Gordon Skagit Farm in the Skagit Valley, about an hour north of where I live.

You can read a bit more about my visit last year here. And yes, this is the home of the lavender truck!

Dozens of types of heirloom pumpkins for sale, a corn maze, apple cider, a beautiful farm and a welcoming autumn adventure all in the gorgeous Washington countryside. The farm is open through this weekend so if you are in the area, it is well worth a visit.

• • • •

In other news, huge thanks to the wonderful Holly at Decor 8 for including my 2010 Roses Calendar in her annual calendar round up this week! And thank you to dear Jacqueline for letting me know the calendar also made the front page of Etsy a few days prior.

And many thanks to each of you for visiting and leaving such lovely comments. Welcome to new visitors and followers – I hope you all find some moments of peace and beauty here in the midst of your busy days.
Almost Halloween!!
xo – g
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