AUTUMN

Autumn Birch Trees                               Watercolour Painting

Cool nights,

warm days,

the hummingbirds have flown away.

The ants in our gardens,

have had their nuptial flights,

one day at dusk 

in the failing light.

Bumble bees and wasps stupefied,

by the cool of night, 

with the morning sun 

regain their flight,

and wander through our gardens, 

unawares,

that winter’s breath is on the air. Soon, 

the Bumble bees will go away, 

their queens to await another day.

The apples on our tree turn red,

its leaves,

It begins to shed.

Flowers have withered, and gone to seed.

Once green trees turn different shades.

Daylight begins to fade.

Frost,

I fear,

is on the way. 

(Autumn) Tree Study            Watercolour Field Sketch

October

There’s a stillness in the forest these days.

The leaves on the trees,

once green,

have turned yellow and red,

and the ground is littered with those that have fallen.

Reminds me of aging,

and patiently waiting,

For the cold wind that’s coming.

Fallen Leaves                Coloured Etching

Indian Summer

Morning awakens with a gentle breeze,

Frost lays heavy on fallen leaves.

First light filters through naked trees,

And back lights milkweed gone to seed.

Sunrise and the frost takes flight,

Soon forgotten in the warmth of light.

A moth flutters on a gentle breeze,

One last flight before winter’s freeze.

The afternoon is warm and lazy,

Clouds appear,

 The sky grows hazy.

Evening descends with winds that scare,

Winter’s breath is on the air.

I woke up this morning to a quiet hush, the kind of sound, or lack thereof, that signals snow. Rain has its own sounds of course, wind blowing in the trees, rain in the roof’s gutters, and the patter of rain drops on window panes.  A sunny morning with the heavy breathing of the world around us cannot be mistaken. But, the quiet of falling snow forcing the world to pause, and take a deep breath, is impossible to mistake. Rain can be dealt with, but snow causes the world to take a step back to enjoy the beauty but, at the same time, causes the world to pause and to ponder…..actions to take. Our first snow is but a couple of centimetres, and looking at the weather forecast won’t stay around for long, but it does make one wonder, and to reflect upon winters past.