Wind, rain and cold arrived, and the leaves decided it was time to let go. Here are two photos of the garden near the bench, taken one week apart. The geranium still blooms merrily, oblivious of the coming frost.
"Let us draw a lesson
from nature, which always works by short ways. When the fruit is ripe, it
falls. When the fruit is despatched, the leaf falls. The circuit of the waters
is mere falling. The walking of man and all animals is a falling forward.”
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
13 comments :
Lovely Sheila! The light is magic and alluring. Thank you for sharing the inspiring quotes too. And . . . thank you for the fave over at Blotanical. I hope to get back into visiting more often soon. I hope you enjoy it! Carol
Inspired use of the photos Sheila. I like to keep in mind the temporary nature of life-- it makes me more aware and keeps everything in perspective.
The storm that ripped through and the cold that followed really put an end to fall color! I have very little left in my garden now. Love the quote!
Carol, I appreciate your kind comments. Glad you liked the quote. I recently read a book called "Falling Upward" by the spiritual writer Richard Rohr. He says that to become spiritually mature, we need to learn how to fall. Perhaps why I am so inspired by plants is that they seem to magically know when to sprout and grow and bloom and fall ...
Linnie, I like to recall the temporary nature of life, too. The garden helps me to do that. Did the leaves shake with fear? Did they scream when they fell? No. They fell when it was their time.
Karin, yeah, it's amazing how quickly that storm ended our long, warm and colorful fall!
Sheila this is wonderful...I love the Emerson quote...amazing how quickly things can change...
The same has happened here in the last week - the trees let go all at once. I love that Emerson quote!
Love the dappled shade of the second photo.
Donna, I'm still stunned at how quickly it happened. I walked through the woods today and there were no leaves on the trees ... Last week they were bright against the sky.
Ginny, glad you liked the quote. I've been saving it for a couple of months ...
Bridget, now the light is getting through :)
Sheila, I hadn't thought about "falling" in such analogous terms before. I see that, though--how much more peaceful to acknowledge the truth: "It's that time" than to fight or fear or give in resentfully. I just turned 45 a few weeks ago and so am a little thoughtful about midlife...
I don't know if you'd come across this, but Richard Rohr is based in Albuquerque, at the Center for Action and Contemplation. For what it's worth. :)
Definitely a dramatic change! Same thing happened here in the past few days. I guess the plants are ready for winter. But winter seems to be holding off until after Thanksgiving this year. Hurrah!
Stacy, happy belated birthday! Entering midlife does tend to make one thoughtful. I keep wanting to change the definition of the age at which midlife begins :) But - how much better to accept that which is necessary. Like you said, "It's time."
Have you been to any CAC events? I went to Albuquerque last January for one of their conferences and it was one of the best I've ever attended.
Beth, yes, winter temps are holding off here. They usually don't come until mid-December. But who knows what to expect with all the recent changes in weather?!
I love the quote. A very reflective and thoughtful post.
Sheila, I haven't been to any events at the CAC--just heard good things about them.
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