Winter is here

We woke up this morning to our first frost of the year.  Shrubs and rose bushes were covered in tiny particles of ice, and the delicate vines looked something like frozen spinach out of the freezer.  I’m afraid that my daily strolls through the garden have come to an end for now, and sitting outside to observe Nature for hours while I let sunshine dowse against my skin, is done too.  I must not forget, thought, that I still have the warmer hours of the afternoons to enjoy, cozy blankets and the firepit.  So from time to time I will still come out here to refuel and count my joys.   

The sky, too, is growing darker, painted blue on blue, one stroke at a time, into deeper and deeper shades of winter nights.

The mourning doves resembling angels—extravagant and silvery and magical have been coming to the garden every day...

...to feed off the garden's floors and serenade my life.  

And the chickadees and juncos keep foraging the garden for food too; almost invisible against the red autumn leaves scattered in colorful dreams along flowerbeds.  Can you find them?  

How lovely the days are, how beautiful Nature and the time spent nurturing my quiet soul with visions of the undisturbed beauty found in my natural surroundings… simple things, big sentiments, a whole lot of joy in small occurrences. Oh, let us never forget that whatever we are waiting for - peace of mind, contentment, grace, the inner awareness of simple abundance - it will surely come to us, but only when we are ready to receive it with an open and grateful heart.

Peace and blessings to you, my friend!~

November

Nov 2—we were in Florida visiting some very dear people last week, and when we returned home this past Wednesday the evening of Halloween Day, I could almost believe what I was seeing… no, not a witch or globin or a pirate or scary clown to be seen, but instead, a totally different view from what we had when we left, just a week before.

Every tree had been stripped off their lovely colors; not a single leaf remained on naked branches and pools of autumnal leaves were blowing off to unknown faraway places.  Winter, had settled in.  The neighborhood was lighted up in Halloween décor, and some of the houses were already decked in Christmas lights.

The following morning, I headed out to the garden as soon as I woke up. With night coming early, and dawn coming late, it was still dark outside, but I could tell that the garden had begun its rest until next spring.

How beautiful, and strange, everything looked, and how solemn under the mysterious spell of the new month... 

Pale amber sunlight started to fall across the thinning November garden, and I noticed that the bitter-sweet melancholy of the year had settled upon the land; as yellowish tints of light move along the garden’s floors, and scattered shadows everywhere.

I let my head fall back, and I gazed into the morning sky--part of it pink, part lavender part pale blue. Small, fluffy clouds like cotton balls scuttled along in a wordless melody, of wonder and admiration. How beautiful; how very beautiful the garden looked beneath the sweet gentleness of the autumnal morning. I heard an angel say once that God wants our souls to be like the autumnal morning...

Some of the roses were still intact, as if frozen in time, or frozen in past summer memories engraved in the apple of my eyes.

Petals mingled beautifully with autumnal leaves in the garden floors, like an assortment of jewels spilled from some magical coffer...

Oh, I don’t want time to pass; don’t want seasons to hurry, roses to fade nor winter to wither all the loveliness remaining here; but then again… ah yes! “Nature gives to every time and season unique beauty; from morning to night, as from the cradle to the grave, it’s just a succession of changes so soft and comfortable that we hardly notice the progress." — Charles Dickens

Autumn glories

Except for the sounds made by the Black-capped chickadees and sparrows foraging for food among the fallen leaves, no other sound stirs the garden these days; only the peace of small wonders and the muffled hum of Autumn softly falling upon the earth, and my soul has adopted the mellowness and language of the season.  

One day, I went to the garden, and found my little world covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon, as Autumn's fire burned slowly along garden paths and day by day leaves changed, and fell, and melted.  

The front of the house was a riot of pumpkin-yellow leaves a week ago, and trees everywhere had painted the world in brunt aquarelles and were every day dropping off their jewels, covering lawns and gardens and roofs in silky sheets of crimson and cerise.

In the magical light of dusk, diminutive organisms like beams of light, tent to appear out of nowhere, you can see them everywhere gently floating in the atmosphere; gleaming and twinkling—will-o'-the-wisp, some call them. It’s been said, that these atmospheric ghost lights are only seen by travelers at night, especially over bogs, swamps or marshes.  But of course, here in my magical garden, they can be seen too.  I can't tell what they really are, but I can certainly see them, and they resemble flickering lamps.

It must be the October magic that still lingers… the same magic that makes us tiptoe outside in a hurry in the middle of the day to just sit quietly; daydream, and watch the last oozing hours of the day go by under magical, shadowy veils of mist.    

The Autumn fairies

Autumn has moved here, and now she lives with us—of course, I’m referring to the season, and from the windows in my kitchen you can tell she’s been adjusting nicely to our environment in her beautiful aquarelle colors… 

Outside, on the other side of the windows, it looks and it feels just as magical.  I cannot begin to explain or even try to fathom the splendid magical feelings this time of year conveys in me, and you sit quietly taking it all in; taking all what surround you and encompasses your very soul through your senses in a deep in dreamlike and magical manners under the crispiest and purest and pristine skies and air.  

Roses mingling with autumn leaves...

Colors more beautiful than ever!

Then, some very dear fairies came over to stay for a day or two... or more!  Phew!

They made a huge mess everywhere!

Hunting for treasures!

We put some-lots of makeup on, and then went outside and had a bubble contest... upps, missed a bit with the eyeliner! lol

We picked ripe grapes from the grapevines, making sure we left some for the birds too!

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good! ;)

Then, before we even knew it, a witch show up out of nowhere!

She only changed her outfits 300 times!

The sun was shining bright and warm, and the afternoon was crisp and golden as an apple. The leaves were all falling, and they were falling like they were falling in love with the ground, and with the garden and the little rumbustious little fairies…

Green grasses mingled with golden yellow leaves and crimson canopies, and the quality of light that lingered upon everything like some magical veil of peace and purity, was just too majestic and too gloriously beautiful to even begin to describe.  Oh stay… stay with me a little longer, October days; stay with me!

I hope you're enjoying these lovely final days of another October, as much as you can my friends!  Look for magic everywhere, for there's always some of it to be discovered!