Autumn Leaf Of The Day #51

 

"Leaves are falling, autumn is calling"

~Unknown

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #39

 

“October's Party
October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.” 

~George Cooper 

 

The leaves aren't very bright this year. I have only come across a few that are showing off in the lighter colors of autumn. I don't know... it's like something, or someone, drained the colors from them this year. I will keep looking, because no matter what, I will celebrate autumn as long as it wants me to, whether it's smiling or not!

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #38

 

“Autumn is my spring!”

 
~August Strindberg,

  A Dream Play

 

I love it when I find leaves with spring colors.

 Autumn is about every color possible.

 All autumn leaves hold the daydreams of a whole year! 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #36

 

 

“And every year there is a brief, startling moment
When we pause in the middle of a long walk home and
Suddenly feel something invisible and weightless
Touching our shoulders, sweeping down from the air:
It is the autumn wind pressing against our bodies;
It is the changing light of fall falling on us.”

 
~Edward Hirsch,

  Wild Gratitude

 

 

Autumn Colors

 

Summer In Paradise Hibiscus

 

 

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”

 
~Lauren DeStefano,

  Wither

 

Acapulco Gold Hibiscus

  

I came across these gorgeous autumn colored Hibiscus on my travels the other day, and couldn't resist photographing them. I see autumn everywhere, not just in the slant of the sunlight, I pay attention to anything nodding towards the autumn sun, even if it's called, Summer in Paradise, or Acapulco Gold. They are lovely, and exotic, and I'll take it!

 

      

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #34

 

“Nature is an alchemist,
gathering the last of summer’s green
and turning it to gold.”

 
~Laura Jaworski 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #25

 

“October proved a riot a riot to the senses and climaxed

 those giddy last weeks before Halloween.”

 
― Keith Donohue 

 

I am starting to find the colors of autumn which tend to get little attention. Purples, blacks, and burgundy.  I love arranging with those colors. And I love finding them hidden in big piles of brown! There is never a bad day to leaf peep!

 

Spring, Yet Autumn Too

 

“She turned to the sunlight
    And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbor:
    "Winter is dead.”

 ~ A.A. Milne,

  When We Were Very Young

 

 “There's a promise between
beginnings and end.
And, there's a hope between
end and beginnings..!!"

O' Autumn, you'll never stop,
singing your sanguine songs.”

 
~Monika Ajay Kaul

 

I found this photo, while rummaging through my photo files from last April. I didn't post it at the time because I was feeling less than enthusiastic about everything. Yes, everything! The election had been rough, and I caught Covid-19  in December. Dylan passed away, and Hendrix was having some problems with grief and age. Last spring seemed black and white most of the time. But one day I was out with Alan, enjoying a walk through the Cosumnes River Preserve, I saw this blossoms beauty, but I don't think I grasped the bigger picture. I took that picture, because the blossom's colors remind me of autumn. Through all the sadness, I knew deep down that autumn would eventually come, and despite everything, I would feel better again, and I do. We are only a little ways in, and it's been incredibly magical. Marin county was stunning the other day, and we added 5 new birds to our album for this year, and one to our life list! Needless to say, Bodega Bay was... fabulous! Pictures to be posted soon! And we are planning a lot more trips. One for next week, fingers crossed. I am not mentioning where we are going, it seems like every time I do, something happens and we end up not going. So, you'll just have to keep visiting Ellipsis to find out where I am gallivanting off to next!

 

And there's a lot more to come!  

 

 

 

 

  

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #3

 

“The autumn leaves remind me of my own faded memories.
The leaves hold their own precious stories,
which drift about in the wind,
finding a new place to settle
and continue to exist.

The bare branches of the elm tree
still stand tall and strong, like I do.
It is a reminder that life still continues
even during the most adverse times.

As I land gently on the grassy plain,
my attention is drawn to the sight of fallen autumn leaves,
floating across the steady stream of water.

Sherwin has presented me with
many of these beautiful leaves in the past.
They are symbols of our steadfast endurance as a couple
and bring warmth and joy to my heart.”

 
~Susan L. Marshall,

   Fleur of Yesterday

 

Go visit a park. Spend time in your garden. Visit a river, or the beach. Sit on your front or back porch and study the world around you. See the colors. Listen to the sounds. Just step out of this life we are forced to endure. There is so much more than the stupidity of the moment. Stepping away from it all, is the best way to be in the here and now. Make new memories by letting go for a little while!

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #12

 

“Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile."


~John Howard Bryant 

Indian Summer 

If you look closely, and keep an open mind, autumn leaves kinda smile, at least in their own way. I see it in every leaf I choose for this project! I bring you smiles from the autumn world.

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #44

 “In November, some birds move away and some birds stay. The air is full of good-byes and well-wishes. The birds who are leaving look very serious. No silly spring chirping now. They have long journeys and must watch where they are going. The staying birds are serious, too, for cold times lie ahead. Hard times. All berries will be treasures.”

 
~Cynthia Rylant,

  In November

 

The leaves are getting more colorful now. A little later today I am going leaf peeping in Sacramento, and the anticipation makes my heart leap just a little bit! I can't wait to see all the beautiful autumn color! 

 

 

Say's Phoebe

 

“Autumn that year painted the countryside in vivid shades of scarlet, saffron and russet, and the days were clear and crisp under harvest skies.”

 
~Sharon Kay Penman,

  Time and Chance

 

  

The Say's phoebe is one of the most beautiful of the perching birds. I saw my first one, for the first time, just two years ago! Can you believe it? Why does it seem like I have never seen birds before I moved to the Central Valley? Oh my, and here is yet another bird that puts me in touch with Autumn, no matter what time of year it is! The Black phoebe is also a favorite. I fell in love with them after we moved into the house in 2015. They would dance about the back yard, darting along the top of the pool, chasing scrub jays from their yard! I was mesmerized. It is one of the most comforting things to do when I am heartsick. I am happy just to sit and watch birds enjoy life. There is a big lesson in that. I had missed so much in life, and birds make me feel like striving to see more. They make me feel alive, especially in their days of uncertainty. We are in the autumn of 2023, and despite all the sad, strange and infuriating news, I am enjoying October. And there is a lot more good stuff to come!

 

Black Phoebe

 

You Expected To Be Sad In The Fall

 

“You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintery light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person died for no reason.”
 

― Ernest Hemingway,

 

  A Moveable Feast

 

We are barely into Autumn, and look at all that amazing pallet of colors! I am afraid I will need to be gathering leaves a lot earlier for my project, because I think the leaves will all be gone before Thanksgiving. I hope not. I love it when leaves continue late into the year, it just makes everything so festive. The color of the leaves, and then the colors of Christmas and New Year's. Unfortunately, I don't write the book, Mother Nature does, I better gather them and save all the beauty I can now, after all next year we will be in the middle of yet another national election, where Donald Trump is running for president, and I know my mood will deep and probably dark. Let's say it, I will be depressed. It's a depressing situation. And a scary one too. But that is a year away, there is no way to really plan for it, I can only plan for the leaves next year, and hope for the best on all other matters.

When I look at those colors, and hear the sound of migrating geese, I feel calm and peaceful inside. Life is good. But lately, beginning over the summer, I start to feel especially anxious. Racing thoughts and memories, and I haven't been sleeping well. My therapist and doctor have tried adjusting my medications, and none of what we have tried has done much for my sleeping. In the past I would take a Valium when DT would trigger some anxiety for me, but Kaiser doesn't want to prescribe Valium anymore because it is now considered "the big bad" due to it's addictiveness and America's past of over prescribing it. So, what would ordinarily help me stop the anxiety in the moment, and lead to a better pattern of sleep, is not available, but boy are they willing to put me on other drugs, antidepressants mostly, that don't work as efficiently as what I know does. Not everyone's body or psychological dispositions are the same, but Kaiser has always tended toward treating everyone the same. Like whats being done with my codeine. 

We do indeed have an opioid epidemic in America. Lots of tragedy has taken place, and with the synthetic drug Fentanyl on the street, which only takes one pill to kill you, in some instances, things have gotten pulled back dramatically for folks with chronic pain. When one guy does it, we all get blamed, shamed and otherwise punished. So, there is nothing I can do but wait for the grief to pass, pretend the chronic physical pain isn't there, accept not sleeping, and hope the temporary highs of visiting parks looking for leaves, and wildlife reserves looking for birds, will give me something to focus on as opposed to drowning in anxiety and sadness. And I have to admit, my doctor did suggest an over the counter option, Melatonin for sleep. I tried it, and to my surprise it does help me sleep somewhat better. So, there you have it. Life is never just about one thing, right? It's all an adventure. At least this chapter is being written in Autumn, when love and beauty is all around me.

Spiced Apple Cider Days

 

"Autumn side to our favorite, drinking spiced apple cider between caramel kisses. Flannels and new love flickering in candlelight. So, I hoped for a change in us in the fading summer. That we might remember the smells of the cider and the sweet sticky kisses. That warmth of our love, so vibrant and new. But as the seasons changed, I saw a change in us. And, I watched our love wither as the last leaves fell."

~Liz Newman

 

This is the first autumn, in a long time, that I didn't spend at least a little time in the Sierra, even if it was just a quick jaunt up to South Lake Tahoe. I missed seeing all the autumn colors in Tahoe and Nevada City, but I missed Carson City, Nevada most of all, but my energy just wasn't having any part of it. But it wasn't just about me, Alan needed some rest too, so we had fun close to home. It was all good, because this was an absolutely lovely season, and I have found a lot of new horizons to photograph, even in the last week or so. The Central Valley actually has a lot to offer in the way of autumn scenery, you just have to know where to find it. Next year I will be able to do a lot more autumn themed photography, a lot closer to home. That feels good. There is a lot of positive things to look forward to in 2021, and I have never been so happy to see a year turn in my whole life. If autumn has to end in a couple weeks, can it take 2020 with it? Please?

 

 

I just realized that his post is about all the beauty I have found in the Central Valley, and the pictures I chose to showcase are from Cull Canyon Park, in the East Bay! LOL. I have a lot of beauty to share this week, so you will get to see what I have been talking about. For now, I hope you enjoy these photos. I had a great time visiting my favorite park, Cull Canyon, this last Saturday! and there was a lot to appreciate and photograph in the natural world on that warm, late autumn day, in December.The season is growing old, and soon it will say goodnight, but there will be a lot of memories of how gentle this autumn was, at least it was to me. It was days of spiced apple cider.

~Carly

Stockton, California

December 7th 2020

Autumn In Berkeley

"There's something to walking with autumnal thoughts through the evening fog. One likes to compose poems at a time like that."

~Hermann Hesse

Grape leaves! Beautiful, glorious grape leaves! Berkeley, Tilden Park to be exact, has a lovely fence line filled with grape leaves. It is right between the small botanic garden and the Brazil House. It's stunning in October. It has every autumn color in one place. One quiet corner of the park that you would completely miss, if you weren't look for the autumn leaves. It makes me sad that folks could drive through the park and not see all that beauty, living peacefully, in that one magical spot. The best part though? They will be there again next October. And I will be there too, Camera in hand, overwhelming happiness in my heart. And some love too. How could anyone, not love this?

 Photographed October 9th 2019

Tilden Park Botanic Garden

Berkeley, California

 Autumn Leaf Of The Day...

#76 Leaf Of The Day

December 7th 2019

Sacramento, California

Nikon

~Mood: Happy
~Me   :)  

There Really Is Something About Autumn...

 I am pretty sure I have used that quote in a previous post this year, but there really is something about Fall that makes me feel alive, but I have never been able to figure out what it is exactly. All I know is, my mood suddenly improves. I am a much more positive person over all and I think more clearly then in any time during the previous seasons of the year. It's like the first day of autumn each year is like New Years to my soul. I suppose if I haven't figured it out by now, I won't be in the future, so it will more than likely remain a mystery. Which is fine, but a part of me does wish I knew what it was, so I could have little moments during the rest of the year! But perhaps I am being greedy in wanting to take more than my fair share of the magic of a perfect autumn day.

#70 Leaf Of The Day

December 1st 2019

Nevada City, California

Nikon

Falling In Love In Autumn

"After the keen days of September, the October sun filled the world with mellow warmth... The Maple tree in front of the doorstep burned like a gigantic red torch. The oaks along the roadway glowed yellow and bronze. The fields stretched like a carpet of jewels, emerald and topaz and garnet. Everywhere she walked the color shouted and sang around her... In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible."

~Elizabeth George Speare

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

The weather has turned, in just the last few days.There is a definite chill in the air. The halfway point of autumn comes on October 31st, a fact I have always loved. It should happen on that day, because Halloween is all about magic. There is a slant of light right now, even on cloudy days, that is unmistakable. Maybe it's the light of 3 apple juice. Maybe it's simple the decline of yet another year, with the promise of a fresh start right around the corner. Maybe it's the smell of damp earth and wet leaves. Maybe it's different for everybody, but roll it up together, and you have autumn. Mist, golden light, autumn fruits and squash. A season so alive, so special, it holds more colors than all the other seasons combined. And more love too. Autumn is the best season to fall in love.

 #37 Leaf Of The Day

October 29th 2019

Grass Valley, Ca

Nikon

~Mood: Happy

~Nikon

Altamont Sunrise

"I love that this morning's sunrise does not define itself by last night's sunset."

~Steve Maraboli

Heartwork

By Suzy Kassem

Each day is born with a sunrise

and ends in a sunset, the same way we

open our eyes to see the light,

and close them to hear the dark.

You have no control over 

how your story begins or ends.

But by now, you should know that

all things have an ending.

Every spark returns to darkness.

Every sound returns to sleep

with the earth.

This journey of the sun

and moon is predictable.

But yours is your ultimate ART."

Isn't that a stunning sunrise, and don't the words of that poem fit it nicely? That is how the sunrise looked over the Altamont Pass yesterday morning. I got to enjoy it for about 40 minutes or so, and the colors kept changing first from a soft, almost depressing shade of violet, into this vibrant red/gold sky that reminded me of a type of rose I had grown while living in Berkeley. It's hard knowing I will probably never be able to afford the home prices in the Bay Area again, but at the same time I am coming to terms with that fact, and it hasn't killed me. In fact, I seem to be finding the art in my sadness and that is the best therapy of all! Picking up the camera makes me feel better in a very personal way. It helps me see the ART in the sadness! I will be posting more sunset photos as we go along, so stay tuned!

Leaf Of The Day

November 10th 2015

Mood: Encouraged/Artistic

~Me :)