"The Fallen Leaves...."

This was taken two years ago
when the leaves were just turning!

The cleanup - phase one

Today I looked out my kitchen window only to look again and see that all the leaves had fallen from the maple tree! Every last one of them. Only last week I marveled at the wonders of the coral and scarlet mix so brilliant they looked translucent. A glorious gift only One could bestow on us. Autumn was at her finest last week and I truly appreciated it because I knew that too soon the wind would pick up and those leaves would be gone forever.
Raked up, composted and mulched into soil, the leaves that provided my own private curtain are gone.  Why is it that the beauty of the autumn colors is so much more fleeting than the brilliance of spring blossoms?

What a pile!

The nights are getting longer, days are getting chillier and home is where we stop to sip a hearty soup at the end of the day. My thoughts are turning toward Thanksgiving tonight and all the family gathered for a traditional feast. Pumpkins, pecans, chrysanthemums and of course turkey. Warm colors and hearty food to remind us of our harvests and of all the goodness saved with the long winter days in mind.