Autumn Leaf Of The Day #48

 

“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky,

 which through the summer is not heard or seen,

 as if it could not be, as if it had not been!”

 

 ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #43

 

“A life is a moment in season. A life is one snowfall.

 A life is one autumn day.”

 

 ~Alan Lightman

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #40/October 31st Done The Right Way

 

 

"Haunt an old house.
Ask for a treat.
Laugh like a witch.
Lick something sweet.
Offer a trick.
Wander a maze.
Echo a boo.
Exclaim the phrase—
Normal's unnatural on Halloween!” 

~Richelle E. Goodrich

   Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts,

 & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year

 

 

 

 This isn't really a Halloween post, but it is Halloween and so I just had to pay tribute in some way. I love this poem. It's cleaver. It's also a nice departure from the real world stuff. Donald Trump feels like Michael Myers sometimes. He gets people killed, and terrifies the rest of us. But for this day, I choose to have a happy day, as it is meant to be enjoyed. So, I will enjoy the leaves, enjoy the candy, enjoy the costumes, enjoy the horror movies and take a deep cleansing breath.

 

 Please enjoy me in letting go for one day, and renew!

 

And by the way, remember these wise words...

 

 "You know it's Halloween,

 I guess everyone's entitled to one good scare." 

 

Police Chief, Brackett

"Halloween" 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #38

 

"Autumn dresses up in gold, the richest season."

 

~Angie Weiland Crosby

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #19

 

“All things are symbols: the external shows,

 of Nature have their image in the mind, 

as flowers and fruits and falling of the leaves”

 

 ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #71

 

And sometimes, and only in spring,
a dove from the river's soft vale of lilies
will fly as close to you as trust,
and a calm in the great reds of autumn
will, as often as you need, lie down
beside you, raising a brow you've known
above the eyes of the only woman
you will ever have a need to dream or touch.”

 
~James Ragan,

  Too Long a Solitude

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #66

 “I ate breakfast in the kitchen by candle-light, and then drove the five miles to the station through the most glorious October colouring. The sun came up on the way, and the swamp maples and dogwood glowed crimson and orange and the stone walls and cornfields sparkled with hoar frost; the air was keen and clear and full of promise. I knew something was going to happen. ” 

~Jean Webster,

  Daddy-Long-Legs

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #58

“I love the autumn—that melancholy season that suits memories so well. When the trees have lost their leaves, when the sky at sunset still preserves the russet hue that fills with gold the withered grass, it is sweet to watch the final fading of the fires that until recently burnt within you.” 

~Gustave Flaubert,

  Memoirs of a Madman and November  

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #50

 

“In the autumn, the entire backyard became a mass of lollipop-yellow leaves, so bright they lit up the night like daylight. Birds nesting in the trees would get confused because they couldn't tell what time of day it was, and they would stay awake for days until they dropped out of the branches with exhaustion.”

 
~Sarah Addison Allen,

  The Peach Keeper

 

I found this leaf in Sacramento, at the Capitol Rose Garden, which is currently under renovation. There were no roses, but the trees surrounding the circle were putting on quite a show. Definitely one of my favorite places to leaf peep. Sacramento is enchanting in Autumn.

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #35

"Autumn...The grace in letting dead things fall."

 

~Darnell Lamont Walker  

 

 

The Darkening October

 

“He couldn't stop smelling the air in great, deep, loud sniffs. It was so delicious. It smelled of water, and mud, and maple trees, and autumn.”

 

~Elizabeth Enright,

  The Four-Story Mistake

 

I went to Sacramento yesterday, to peep some leaves at my favorite park in the city, Crocker park, which is so named because it sits right next to the Crocker Museum. Sacramento is known for, among other things, it's love of trees. It's estimated that there are approximately 1 million tress, all within the city limits! That's a lot of leaves! And it's home for a lot of critters! I have kept to just a couple key areas on the city, for doing my Sacramento leaf peeping, but this year, as time allows, I think I would like to explore more parks and the capitol grounds. As you can see, Autumn is getting off to a slow start there, but that's fine, I need more time to consider what my options are. One thing is for sure, October is almost over and the days are getting darker earlier, so early mornings are going to have to become my friend. For right now, I know it's always just down the road, and there is always something to see!

 

 

 

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #13

 

“The leaf does not immediately absorb the drop of water falling on it;

 she slowly drinks with great pleasure!”

~Mehmet Murat ildan 

October Leaves

 

"The fallen leaves in the forest seemed to make

 even the ground glow and burn with light."

 

~Malcolm Lowry

October Ferry To Gabriola

 

It looks like a perfect October pumpkin, doesn't it? I love this leaf, but the tree that it was on wasn't doing well the last time I checked in on it. Another victim of California's relentless drought. It is one of my favorite trees, and is in the quaint town of Ione, California. It's from the Judas tree, one of only 4 trees in that town I visit each year. It is one of my, new old tree friends, replacing so many that I had to leave behind back in the Bay Area. Please wish it well, and please pray for some rain for us. October is the prettiest month of the autumn season, in my opinion, and I am hoping next October will be a great big harvest of beautiful leaves of all kinds!

 

 

 

~Carly

Stockton, California

December 19th 2020

 

 

 

September: Full Corn Moon

"The moon will guide you through the night with her brightness, but she will always dwell in the darkness, in order to be seen."

~Shannon L. Adler

Isn't that a pretty moon? When I stepped outside tonight, to photograph the, Full Corn Moon, I was surprised to find that it had a light orange appearance to it. I had completely forgotten that there is still just just enough smoke in the air, from the Northern California wildfires, to change the moon from it's usual bright white color, to a shade that is almost pumpkin color. Strange how a situation so scary and so sad, can produce something so beautiful. I am hoping that when all the fire is finally extinguished, we in California, will be done with "fire season" at least unofficially.

Of course officially it will be well into November. It used to be from May thru October, but with Climate Change, that has all changed. Scientists believe that "fire season" is now year round. I remember as a child there being maybe one or two good sized fires in California, mostly over the summer months, but I also remember my teachers saying that if we don't start taking care of the Earth, we would end up with unprecedented weather and climate events. And here we are!

Here is a look back at how the moon appeared

 in the night sky during the Camp Fire,

 in the town of Paradise, California.

 

Our vacation begins in about 6 weeks. Hopefully, all the fires will be extinguished. I am looking forward to some long car rides, and a lot of autumn leaf peeping!

~Carly

September 2nd 2020

Stockton, California

 

Autumn Leaf Of The Day #20

#20 Leaf of The Day

October 12th 2019

Berkeley, California

Nikon

"The birds will wing from the weather,

While I stand, still as the harvest,

With the sound of the fall in the air." 

Carolyn Kizer

~Mood: Tired

~Me    :)

Dancing Like Twyla's Watching

"How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat. Some dance to remember, some dance to forget."

The Eagles

Hotel California

It was the last beautiful flower on the bush it was growing on. All around it, dead and dying flowers, but this one looked absolutely pristine. It was dancing in the wind like it had been choreographed by Twyla Tharp.  I had to pay it tribute. Cull Canyon park was a feast for the eyes last weekend, and I am so glad we visited. I doubt I will be visiting again for at least a couple weeks, because tomorrow I am planning to head to Sacramento to do some leaf peeping, probably near the Crocker Gallery. It's one of my favorite haunts this time of year. I am hoping to be doing a lot more museums on this vacation, but I also want to visit some federal lands and some parks, plus the leaf peeping, and the movies, and Monterey, and San Francisco and Berkeley, and movie locations, and, and, and. I have way too much planned, to fit into just 4 weeks. It looks like there might be an impeachment to hold my interest as well, so there's that! But we are talking about right now, and visiting Sacramento. It's motto is "City of Trees" and I plan to visit as many as possible before autumn is over! They have over 110,000! That's a lot of leaves, dancing around in my brain, like Twyla's watching.

 Leaf Of The Day

 #5 Leaf Of The Day

September 27th, 2019

Stockton, California 

September 21st 2019

Nikon

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

 

Oh Sweet October

#8 Leaf Of The Day

October 8th 2017

Stockton, California

 

"This tree must be falling for me, as soon as I sat under it, it dropped it's leaves. Oh sweet October."

~Charmaine J. Forde

I love the colors in this leaf. I loved it so much, in fact, that I decided to use it as my main post today, rather than post it along with a different subject. The colors remind me of Christmas, which will be here soon enough, but what is really intriguing to me, is how dark the leaf is, considering we aren't that far into autumn. Usually Dogwoods have a lighter colors this time of the season, but I found one in downtown Stockton, that was covered with the darkest colors I have ever seen on a Dogwood tree. It didn't have the almost neon look trees tend to get, but it did have it's own unique beauty, and I think I will be visiting it often this season, and maybe I will do a full post on it's progress. We'll see! In any case, it definitely lifted my spirits to find it!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

 

Falling Leaves

"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

I went to my favorite park yesterday, and to my deep sadness, found that most of the leaves had already fallen. The trees that were in bloom just a couple weeks ago, with all colors and shapes you can imagine autumn leaves could be, now stood bare and cold. It was the result of the last storm that touched California, earlier this week. The rain was a good thing, it means the trees will be brighter and more beautiful then ever next year, and if things go as it looks like it will, next autumn will be amazing, so I am thinking and planning about that!

 I will continue to post the "Leaf Of The Day" through Monday, but here is the last autumn gallery on Ellipsis until next year.

 Autumn kisses winter hello on...

 Monday, December 21st, at 11:47 P.M. 

Leaf Of The Day

December 17th 2015

Mood: Happy

~Me :)

When Every Leaf Is A Flower

"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."

~Sarah Addison Allen

First Frost

Here we are. But how did I get here? LOL. The last five months have been a blink. A BIG STUPID BLINK. Oh my, it's such a long story. And I will be sharing what has led me to own a house in Stockton, but not right now... maybe in a few days... I want to think on things before I begin to share the details. For now, lets concentrate on autumn. Yes, I know, it's not officially autumn for about 10 days or so, but you know me, I am usually in a big hurry to start my favorite season! This year is NO different. I am seeing the first colors of autumn everywhere. In the sunlight. In the twilight. In the flowers and the cool, crisp mornings, but of all the signs around me, the leaves are still what makes my heart sing! 

I am planning to do an autumn leaf album on Flickr, like the one I did last year! And to get this year off on the right footing, I went leaf peeping this past week, in the Bay Area. I was in the East Bay for a doctor's appointment, when I found myself with some extra time, so I paid a visit to my favorite Liquid Amber tree, which is in Cull Canyon Park, in Castro Valley. Too my delight, my tree is beginning to show off the color a little early! Oh my. Isn't it beautiful?

How lovely is that leaf?

Stay Tuned, There's More To Come!

Mood: Happy

~Me :)