Wednesday 23 September 2015

Autumn


She arrives quietly, too shy to make much impression.  Her soft rain replenishes the parched summer soil and her gentle breezes cool the same burnt ground.  Beneath our feet the colour changes from brown dryness to verdant green as she breathes new life into the earth.  She treads gently in summer's wake leaving, at first, just a hint of her arrival; mist hanging silently in the valley, dew drenching silken cobwebs, a hint of something in the air that all disappear as the dawn rises with summer's still strong sun.

As time passes, she grows in confidence.  Soft rain builds to heavy downpours, gentle breezes strengthen to strong gusts and summer is sent scurrying away. Fruits not picked tumble to the ground to be gathered by animals, frantic to build their stores.  They know only too well that summer is fading and autumn's early benevolence will not last long. 

As if my magic, mushrooms spring from the damp soil overnight to stay but a day or two before melting back from whence they came. Green leaves turn a million shades of yellow, red and brown, crowning the trees in triumphant glory.  But, like the mushrooms, autumn will send them earthbound and their time left with with us is short, leaving bare branches to welcome winter.

As autumn finds her confidence the first frost chills to the bone, violent storms bring down branches as well as leaves and darkness wins over light.  She has much to offer and much to take.  A time of plenty turns to a time of little.   A time of death for some. For others, sleep and escape is their only way.

Autumn stole summer from us so in time winter will chase autumn away.  For those who stay there will be hard times ahead.  Some will survive to welcome another spring.  Others will perish.

 This is how it is.  This is autumn.


 







Prose for Thought

The Dad Network

26 comments :

  1. Wonderful prose and beautiful pictures. What a lovely share. #prose4t

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    1. Thank you - the photos are all taken here (or within walking distance) of the gite.

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  2. Beautiful imagery in both prose and photography. A lovely scene x

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  3. This is lovely. Autumn is my favourite season and you have captured the essence of it so well here x #Prose4T

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    1. Thank you, Sara - I love autumn too but would prefer it were it just to jump straight to spring without winter first!!

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  4. Love your writing and love your photos! So glad to discover your blog via the #bigfatlinky

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    1. Thank you for your kind words, Luke and welcome to the blog.

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  5. Perfect description of Autumn; lovely writing :)

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    1. Thank you, Lisa - it was inspired by a poem I read at school about how autumn changes over the weeks but I have never been able to find the poem again.

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  6. Beautiful. I love autumn (& winter even more). #bigfatlinky

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    1. I love autumn but I am less keen in winter, I have to say.

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  7. What an absolutely beautiful piece of writing Rosie, stunning. You can feel and smell Autumn as you read it. I love it! Thank you for linking to Prose for Thought x

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    1. Thank you for such a lovely comment, Victoria and I am so glad you enjoyed my words. I enjoyed writing them.

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  8. Hi Rosie, I think you've summed up autumn rather well, your words creating a picture in themselves. Our weather is just starting to turn here and reading this has reminded me (in my excitement of cooler weather) of the dreaded winter yet to come!

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    1. Thank you, Debbie. Do you get much bad weather in Greece? I rather imagined mild days just waiting for spring to return.

      (BTW I accidentally deleted your comment so added it manually, hence the loss of your avatar picture - sorry!)

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    2. Hi Rosie, I do things like that all the time! We do get bad weather here in Greece, but not as bad as the UK (I'm just spoiled now). Apparently we get the same average rainfall as England, but when it rains it rains, none of that horrible drizzle and in the winter it only drops below 0C during the night and that's not often., but the houses are geared up to stay cool in the summer so in the winter they are freezing.... I love our woodburner!

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    3. Ha ha - I have heard that before from people living in hot places. Some Australian friends think it is freezing below 12ÂșC and will die the odd time it gets below freezing! Love our woodburner too - it brings such life to the house.

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  9. Fab post, fab writing and fab photos. I really love autumn so glad it's here. :)

    Thanks for linking up with us on the #bigfatlinky hope to see you there this week

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  10. Ahhhh I want to be there more than ever now Rosie! Glorious x

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    1. Thank you ans yes, Annie, come back and see us again :)

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  11. A beautiful look at the season and gorgeous photos of your stunning surroundings.

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  12. You've captured Autumn perfectly, that cobweb photo is beautiful with the sunlight.

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  13. Such a lovely description of Autumn. You captured the seasons essence so well :-) I love the spider web pic

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