RECIPES

Sunday 19 April 2020

Autumn


Autumn is my favourite season, only this year I must stay at home and I feel I am missing out on it completely.  So I thought a look for some photos in my archives might remind me what autumn was all about.

Firstly, there is the glorious colour of the trees as they prepare themselves for winter hibernation.  These beautiful trees are Aspens in Arizona, but you get the idea.


Harvest is another great aspect of autumn.  These Queensland Blue iron-bark pumpkins have very tough skins.  We harvested these out of our vegetable garden in 2004.


Autumn is also when the hot summer weather turns decidedly cooler, the nights grow longer, and the first dusting of snow on the mountains appears.


Once harvest is completed, the big Garden Clean-up can begin.  Shrubs are pruned, dead leaves are raked up, weeds are gathered together – and the fun of garden bonfires begins!


One of my favourite activities is walking through piles of fallen leaves.  They crunch and crackle and scatter around you, and they always seem to have that damp earthy smell about them that I typically associate with the autumn season.


Many plants have berries on them at this time of the year – these ones are the hips of a rose.


Finally, I found this painting I had done many years ago and it also reminded me of autumn – in fact, it is titled Autumn Leaves.  It was created using watercolours and fallen pin-oak leaves.


I know many readers are heading into spring with the hope of summer just ahead, but I hope you will forgive me for enjoying these last vestiges of warmth before our winter arrives.

Let us be thankful and appreciate the diversity of nature and the beauty of our different seasons J
Margaret.




17 comments:

  1. I just really wish we all live in a place where there are four seasons. First because it looks very colorful and there's something to look forward to four times a year, and second so that Summers will be shorter than 9 months! Like right now, I feel like I'm a melting candle in this afternoon heat and it's hard for me to breathe. I would love to be in those mountains Margaret and under those golden colored trees! Stay safe and Happy Sunday!

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    1. I also suffer from the heat, so can sympathize with you. I don't think I would like summer to last nine months, even though I am not that fond of winter cold.

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  2. Whatever the season, those last few days before the change are special, I love warm days in late September, each is a bonus. Now here we are having some warmer sunny days, much better than they should be and again I take each day as a bonus. BUT it does feel strange, we had no snow this winter, normally we get just a few days of the white stuff, so it does feel as if winter has not completed its cycle.

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  3. Hello, the Autumn colors are lovely. The view of the mountains is my favorite, what a gorgeous scene. Take care, stay safe! Enjoy your day, wishing you a healthy new week!

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  4. Just as you are getting into fall, we of course are enjoying spring. Each season has its own appeal, but I have to confess that as I see the birds arriving here to breed, spring is very special indeed.

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  5. You autumn looks very appealing, Margaret. I hope you can enjoy it soon.

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  6. Oh. I am so with you on fall...it is my favorite season. I love your painting..and I enjoyed your photos as well. I always say I wish autumn lasted 6 months and the other seasons shared the other months

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    1. LOL I have been known to say that! I can never figure out why autumn always seems to be the shortest season.

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  7. The photos of the Southern Alps (I assume) is beautiful. I loved my trips there and especially helicoptering up onto the glaciers. Walking through autumn leaves is a very special experience. I remember Delamere Forest in Cheshire in England when I was a child. One never forgets.

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    1. You are right about the Southern Alps, Graham. This photo was taken in the Clarence area between Picton and Kaikoura in April last year.

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  8. I love walking through dry leaves in Autumn too. The leaves do have a very particular smell don't they! I'm glad we're heading into Spring but once September rolls around I'll be very happy for Fall.

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  9. I love walking through and kicking autumn leaves. You get more signs of autumn down there as we have mostly evergreen trees but I can see a few signs of autumn from here.

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    1. I think the further south you travel down the country, the better the colour. We get a bit here, but not as spectacular as down in the colder lower South Island.

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  10. Autumn is my favourite season ever, not too hot not too cold. I have to ask your header image, it almost looks like mclaren falls.

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    1. The header is a photo of the lake in the centre of Cambridge. It is a little hidden gem, close to the centre of town but seldom known about except by locals. A lot of water fowl live there as well.

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  11. We are not allowed to burn leaves and such, but on dates they give us. If it´s a raiy day, your loss!
    No logic and gladly we only have a small balcony...

    :-) You will not try to walk through fallen leaves here. Likely you step into dog poo. I already lost a pair of shoes due to that!

    Yes, that is the only thing I like about autumn, the coloured leaves, beautiful work!
    And you are right, for once I am glad to be here and go into summer hopefully soon! Ixx

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  12. This is definitely my favourite time of year although we don't get much change of colour up here in the north, we certainly get masses of fallen leaves. My only complaint is how many of them land on my roof and block up the gutters.

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Thank-you for visiting my blog. I love it when you leave a comment so please feel free to have your say. Have a great day! Margaret xx