Autumn Leaves

This is the time of year when the world glows. The colors are vibrant, breathtaking, It makes it easier to accept the push of darker days just ahead. The season is over, the rhythm of life changes, the guests are less frequent and tend to be business people rather than holiday makers. We order the fuel and a huge supply of firewood. We think of putting the patio furniture away, but not quite yet, not while these golden days are still upon us, fleeting though they be. This year, as often happens, the October weather has been idyllic. Even if the temperature drops, the sun is out and warms our cheeks. Perfect days for walks in the woods, or a drive in the countryside. I take along the camera to capture some of the images, to help me guard them for the cold days. The world has such a wonderful way of easing us into winter!

Nothing Gold Can Stay Robert Frost Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold, Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.

The vines on the front of our house mark the season gloriously, bud green in spring, vibrant green for summer, flaming to red for autumn and dropping off when the wind begins to blow, leaving gnarled old trunks exposed during winter months. A walk to our garden affords expansive views over the countryside below our hilltop village. The fields are not yet green with winter cover crops, but the trees turn their various mellow shades. We drive to la Ferté-Bernard once a week to do errands. It's the biggest town in the area, about 10 miles from home. The river flows though the city and there is a large lake for boating and swimming. On the drive back towards home, we stop to capture some images of the gentle landscape. With the colder weather, comes cozy evening fires and out comes the soup and stew recipes. Peter Mayle (A Year in Provence), writes charmingly of France. He recently published an article in the New York Times about October and how the French celebrate Halloween. It's well worth a read and it has a bonus recipe at the end of the column. It's Called Pumpkin Eaters.