This year we are having a particularly beautiful autumn. When I walk with Juliet, the red maple leaves blanket the roads and the grass and the paths we pass. Rain makes the streets slippery—we skate in a stop and start motion; soft red velvety leaves stick to my boots.
The nights are damp and dark with a fine mist rising, hovering at eye level. When I take Jules out at midnight, I note the crickets in the otherwise still silence of that hour. I wonder, have I ever noticed that crickets sound into the month of November? Have I ever inhaled the damp night deeply into my lungs before this year?
Then there are the mornings. The early twilight of dawn, drenched in thick fog welcomes me with open arms while my eyes are still tired with sleep. Has it been like this always? I don’t know. It feels, so much sharper this year. I feel the cold in my bones and my senses on high alert. I want to memorize each tree, each outline. The falling leaves form an impression on the road and I stare at the contour, tracing it with my eyes, touching it with my cold hand.
The moments are fleeting, quick and also slow, slick, thick with anticipation and the promise of the coming winter. A fluttering of huge wild wings escape into the fog and disappear behind dark branches; perhaps to return again during the day when it clears, or perhaps to become a memory floating softly like the red leaves onto the ground—one of many, lost under the impending first snows.
spanishwoods 
Lovely imagery Sylvia 🙂
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thank you Brian 🙂
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Lovely photos and thoughts, Sylvia! The red leaves look like Japanese Maple leaves. ❤️
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Yes, I believe you’re right John. 🙂
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Have a great week my friend. ☺️
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you too! 🙂
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Beautiful.
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thank you Timothy 🙂
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Beautiful photos and such lyrical descriptions. Lovely.
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thanks very much Lynette 🙂
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Lovely photos and thoughts on autumn, Sylvia. It has been an amazing season!
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One of the most beautiful fall seasons I can remember. thank you Eliza 🙂
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These are amazing images. Anita
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thank you!
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Beautiful all the way around. You make me (almost) want to get out into it. Still, sad to say, I’m skittish of the impending winter.
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yes, understandable. 🙂 and thank you
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❤
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🙂
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Lovely indeed 🍁🙏🏼🧡
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thank you, you’re kind 🙂
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Such lovely musings, Sylvia. Our autumn is (was?) spectacular this year, too. Plus we have having a sort of heatwave and it’s wonderful For us to have 70 in November is mostly unheard of, yet that is what is called for on Saturday. So happy.
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Yes! We need to soak it up completely! 🙂
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Oh yes!
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I love autumn but raking the leaves at my age, these days, is no cup of tea.
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Well, I would definitely agree with that!! I had to put a heating pad on my back after just doing my little porches and my driveway!
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Wonderful photos!
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thank you!
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A joy to see those photos and read your words. You sum up so well how I’m starting to feel as autumn makes its magical presence known here.
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thanks so very much 🙂
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I love this so much, Sylvia.
Love, Nancy
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Oh thank you Nancy!! 🙂
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Stunningly beautiful photo 😍. How I wish to experience fall
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Thank you so very much. 🙂
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