Hmmm, how shall we give praise to an autumn that gives its all for our delight?
All the seasons have their charms. The first snow squall of winter with swirling and curling whitecap waves of snow… The bursting forth of spring when the trees go from bare to frothing green and a wildflower patch erupts in colour… The full bloom of summer unleashing abundant life in the fields, forests and marshes.
But autumn stands alone when it comes to the palette of colours in its repertoire and the lingering exhale of beauty in flora and fauna. A prolonged Indian summer this year, followed in short order by cold nights, has been the perfect recipe for autumn to outdo itself.
The blush and hue of colours in the foliage has been nothing short of breathtaking. The rosy cheeks of sun-dappled, maize yellow maple leaves… the pastel red, yellow and green of nodding, serrated Sumac leaves… the red wine shimmer of Oak leaf clusters.
Even plants that are not blessed with colour are worthy of a lingering glance. The spiny barbs and curled tendrils of Common Teasel embroidered by afternoon sunlight… the soft white sprays and whirls of Milkweed gone to seed… the fossilized shadow of elm leaves against the ridged bark of a tree.
Most of the winged wonders have departed southward or gently expired. But Band-winged Meadowhawks still sun themselves on welcoming rocks… Clouded Sulphur butterflies still sashay through the air and linger on the greenery… Darner dragonflies should be weeks into their migration – but one Variable Darner stayed behind for reasons only Mother Nature knows.
The many faces, graces and lingering embraces of autumn have summoned all of their vigour this year to playout an awe-inspiring pageant for our delight. Each of them is a dazzling metaphor for the most flamboyant of the seasons and its proclivity to give all it has in the short time that nature affords it to hold court.
~ Michael Robert Dyet is the author of “Until the Deep Water Stills – An Internet-enhanced Novel” – double winner in the Reader Views Literary Awards 2009. Visit Michael’s website at www.mdyetmetaphor.com or the novel online companion at www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog.
~ Subscribe to “Michael’s Metaphors of Life Journal aka Things That Make Me Go Hmmm” at its’ internet home www.mdyetmetaphor.com/blog2. Instructions for subscribing are provided in the “Subscribe to this Blog: How To” instructions page in the right sidebar. If you’re reading this post on another social networking site, come back regularly to my page for postings once a week.
Tags: autumn · Band-winged Meadowhawk · Clouded Sulphur butterfly · common teasel · fall colour · maple · metaphor · Michael Robert Dyet · milkweed · oak · October · sumac · Variable Darner DragonflyNo Comments