Small joys

Not everything in nature is large and/or showy. Look closely and you can see other things that bring joy, such as this little cutie hiding among the reeds.

Look higher and you might see this somewhat fierce-looking guy sporting some very natty threads!

My friends in most of the rest of the US are talking about the chilling effect of fall/autumn. Believe me, we’re feeling the chill, too! It’s been 105 or below for the high for some days now and later this week, temperatures are set to plunge into the 90’s or possibly even 89 for the high! Getting my fleeces out from where they’re packed as we speak. We even have some leaves in fall colors, although most of them are still attached. 🙂 It’s definitely a new adventure.

McDowell…with bells on

McDowell…giant

McDowell…Path of gold

I’m headed to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving, van loaded with things for our daughter. While I’m gone, I’ll be sharing autumn photos from McDowell Forest Preserve, part of Dupage County’s extensive park system. I hope you enjoy them as much as the last round.

For those of you celebrating Thanksgiving, may it be a happy time with friends a/o family counting your many blessings.

Friday flowers…autumn noku

Leaves
Autumn’s flowers
Strewn along the path

Wordless Wednesday…autumn

Changing holidays

A few days ago, the sun shone in on my Thanksgiving gourds and pumpkins as well as on the pile of shimmery Christmas garlands waiting to be used, perfectly highlighting the change from Thanksgiving to Christmas, fall to winter. It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  🙂

Wordless Wednesday…Frosty

Wordless Wednesday…fall

Autumn…a haibun

The first leaf fell today,
	lacking even grace of color,
to lie quiescent on the sidewalk
	‘til wind-blown travel claimed it.
Soon millions more will throw themselves
	to willing death,
flaming brightly before reduced to
	crackling beneath feet in futile protest.

Days grow shorter, nights stretch longer,
	nights where passion once flamed brightly,
now passing also into death,
	unwilling on my part,
	kamikaze-like on yours.

The fire that now burns
	devours all the love
	and leaves not even embers
	that soft breath could coax back to life.

Autumn's harbingers
Lie dying before my eyes
Love once green now dead