Sunday, September 30, 2007

Peace On Our Little Piece of Earth

Over at (Lefthanded Trees), Delia (my new from Bloglandia friend) wrote a piece about autumn and the energized feeling she gets as summer gives way to Fall. The moment I read this, I realized that I too felt more energized with the approach of Fall.


I love the passing of the hot times to the cooler.
I love the rise again of a light breeze against my skin.
I love the cooler early morning air as it fills my lungs,
sometimes touched with the smoky tang of
an early morning fireplace.

I love the unpredictable weather. The forecast may say rain in the northern valley, but, where you are in the northern valley more often than not controls the amount of rain we actually get.

I love rain and I am always hopeful that the storm coming in from the coast will actually make it through the delta and move south to my part of the northern valley. Rain comes up from the south and down from the north with geography playing a big role in whether or not we get much rain. We often seem to be on the outer edge of whatever front is passing our way. Of course, this doesn't mean we don't get a lot of rain. We have had some memorable seasons.

I'll never forget a January a few years ago. It rained non-stop for 30 days. Eleven more and we would have broken the Biblical record. It got pretty soggy that month and even for a rain person like myself, it got to be a bit much.

We lost a lot of trees around campus that month. When I say trees, I'm speaking of mature cedars, pines, and redwoods. That was the January I was in my office and jumped out of my skin as an almighty CRACK!! exploded through the building. I ran out the back door to find five trees down. One went and then took four more with it on its way down.

We were very lucky that day. Classes were already in session for that hour so there were no students on an otherwise busy walkway. A little earlier or a bit later and it could have been a very different story. It took a week to clear the debris.



But, where way I? Oh yes, Fall and feeling energized. Come Fall, I feel like taking walks, sitting on my front porch, delving back into long-term projects. I even feel a bit of interest in cooking and baking. God knows, I have no great culinary gifts but once in a while I feel the big push to follow a recipe, to face off with myself on a creative food challenge, so to speak. I'm sure it has something to do with holidays, birthdays, and all the visual stimulation of the season.

Yesterday was busy for a while. I had to tackle the garage. I'm a hoarder and DH's special escape place was overrun with my stuff. This wasn't so bad when he was working but now he is retired and he wants his shop back. I am forced to at last sort, store and toss. This will bring peace to our little piece of earth and we both get what we both most need - he gets his space back and I get more decluttered and get the remainder out of sight. Along the way I found old comic books that I discovered I had no attachment to anymore. eBay may bring me a windfall. I'll keep my fingers crossed about that.

Clearing out this stuff was good on so many levels.

1. Don's shop is now his space again;
2. A cabinet has been emptied (and refilled);
3. I have less stuff;
4. I have room now to box up loose stuff;
5. And best of all - I have the rest of Fall to concentrate on studying T. S. Elliot, Samuel Coleridge and poetic forms.
6. I don't feel so defeated by the work still ahead of me - yes, DH, I acknowledge that there is more work to be done;
7. I may get more painting accomplished in the kitchen, and;
8. The on-going photo project will get started up again.

Fall is like a season of rebirth for me. Of course that is no doubt directly related to my birthday being in mid-November. Fall is the only time of the year when I like the color orange in all of its varied hues, not just apricot or melon.



I like Fall/Winter gardens. They require so little work, not that I do lots of heavy gardening to begin with. But, in Fall/Winter I don't feel any guilt about neglecting the garden. The garden goes to sleep just as I am waking up from an energy-sapping summer. And this wake-up call is a siren call for me to go to winter beaches - cold, quiet, uninhabited. But that is another story.

18 comments:

Mary Timme said...

All of us are pretty good at the guilt thing but we shouldn't be. You are no different than I am and many others are. We all dance the two steps forward and one step back tango with those we love. We call it marriage is all. I do it in my 'art' life too. No wonder I'm tired. I'm busy dancing all day and in my sleep.

Susie said...

Loved reading all your beautiful word pictures of fall. It always seems like a new beginning to me as well.
Winter at the beach is also very special..
xo

Lea said...

Fall, such a journey of letting go, taking in rich color and the journey of seasons changing... thank you AnnieElf!

Jo said...

I am on this journey with you.......autumn is my favourite season; a cool, colourful celebration of the year's best.

Anonymous said...

Fall gives me a sense of elation. It saddens me too. Beautiful thoughts.

Robin said...

Without the fall colors or the crispness in the air here I tend to feel more bereft at the coming of fall and with it summer's end. I like your take on it better.

paisley said...

i know in turlock you have to be happy for some reprieve from the heat... to fall....

Andi said...

Do you have pretty photos of the winter beaches?

Anonymous said...

I'm like you in that I find fall to be a time of rebirth. Or maybe it's more that I find it a time of letting go which allows me to start again. In either case, I like it. Lovely post.

paris parfait said...

Was that the winter of '95 (January) when it rained for nearly six weeks non-stop? I remember it as being miserable and our garage being flooded. But I love fall - I'm a September baby and fall is my season - the colours, the smells, the air, the beauty, the hopefulness and sense of possibility!

Tumblewords: said...

Autumn is a dying season to me, I'm a strictly sun and warm person. But your writing caused me to look at autumn in a new way - and I'm marking this to come back when I feel bereft of my fave season! Beautiful words and photos - thanks!

vicci said...

I absolutely loved this post Annie....It's EXACTLY how I feel.....and what I'm doing....:-)
Fall is so felt up here at this time of year.....apple hill just adds to it...XXOOO

turquoise cro said...

That CLOUD photo is BEAUTY FULL!!! It looks like it is almost writing a message! hehe I'm a RAIN gal too! and I was busy all day cleaning and scrubbing down my porch! I LOVE it when it is soOOoooOo clean!!! Wish we could sit out on our porches together Annie and ponder a bit! Happy October sweetie!

Steve said...

Beautiful thoughts.

Rethabile said...

Beautiful thoughts, as another commenter said. Autumn is a beautiful season and means a lot to the recycling of life. I wish you a good one.

nonizamboni said...

I feel energized in the fall too and because my birthday is in Oct. it feels like we should be celebrating new year's somehow. I agree about orange actually being a favorable color; I appreciate its shamelessness.
Nice post full of reminders!

Anonymous said...

Fall and winter are my times of the year - Spring my next favorite with Summer dragging way behind.

Looks like you are already getting busy!

Anonymous said...

Oh Annie!
That top photo the way the clouds are moving
season changing
to my favorite one of all!