Going, Going, Gone!

GOING...........(photo below taken a week ago)

GOING...........(photo below taken three days ago)

GONE......(photo below taken today)

The photos above were all taken of the same maple tree in my front yard over the last few days. Once the leaves started falling, they went fairly quickly this year. No need for concern though. The front yard is once again safe for the squirrels

and for the little dogs who want to cross the yard without a fear of drowning in the leaf river.

The river of leaves in the front yard from three days ago

as can be viewed below from looking out my front door.



The river has been raked up into a mountain down in the street out front.


It was already getting dark when I finished Friday night. Since the time change, it gets dark even earlier now. When I raked that day, the sun was shining and the temperature was a gorgeous 70 degrees. Today it is gray outside, the temperature is 36 degrees, and we are getting what the weathermen in these parts like to call a wintry mix. A wintry mix is a combination of rain, freezing rain, drizzle, tiny ice pellets, and snow.

Time to get out your hats and gloves and button up your overcoat, my friends. Here's a bit of timely advice in song from Captain Kangaroo, whose show I used to watch every weekday when I was a young girl.

Yellow River

Gabcast! Dancing With Daisy #40 - Yellow River

Click the play button above to hear me read this poem.

Yellow River

Leaves rained down for days
until the front yard was flooded
drenched in color by a yellow river
from the thunder cloud trees above

With each gust of wind
more leaves lapped at the edges
of the flower beds and porch steps
Frothy yellow waves billowed about

Squirrels and little dogs
first waded and then swam across it
struggling not to drown
not to be pulled under in the eddying swirls

A rake parted the river
like the raised rod of Moses
channeling the leaves
down to the street

The curbs of the street,
breaker walls,
strain now to hold back the leaves

The wind persists
sending them back
in yellow waves
over the top
over the top
over the top
of the too small concrete dam

The Leaves Have Taken Over!!

The leaves are falling too fast for me to keep up with them!

They have taken over the front yard!!

And yet, the branches of the trees above me are still mostly green and still holding LOTS of leaves!!

Looks like I have a date with the rake! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Saying Goodbye To the October Sky

Gabcast! Dancing With Daisy #39 - Saying Goodbye To the October Sky




Click the play button above to hear me read this poem.

Saying Goodbye to the October Sky

It's almost time
to say goodbye
to the clouds
of the October skies.

Baskets of apples
piled high
Pumpkins carved
with triangle eyes

Witches and monsters
and ghosts saying boo
Leaves and rakes,
bats and spiders too

Sacks full of acorns
Shadows crossing the floor
trick or treat candy corns
a purple bowl by the door

Cornucopia of colors,
so much to see
from the fruits of the harvest
to the leaves in a tree

It's almost time
to say goodbye
to the clouds
of the October sky.

Autumn Walk (Truly Grateful Series)

It was a beautiful day yesterday. I decided to take advantage of the weather. I went for a drive. The leaves on two of the maple trees in my yard are still very green. The leaves on the tree in the back have gone straight from green to brown. I think this was caused by the dry weather we had this past summer. I thought that maybe if I drove out in the country a bit that I might find some leaves changing colors for fall. I was richly rewarded with what I found.

I decided to drive up to George Bible Park which is about a ten minute trip north of where I live. George Bible Park is named after a man named George Bible (of course!). It is a quiet park with a pond that I like to visit occasionally. In the spring and summer, fishing tournaments for kids aged twelve and under are held around the pond. Various prizes are awarded to the kids for first fish caught, biggest fish caught, smallest fish caught, and so on. Even those who don't win one of the prizes are given a bag full of goodies which usually includes a fishing hat, some bobbers, hooks, lures, or sinkers. Both of my sons when they were younger enjoyed these catch and release fishing tournaments which are designed to teach kids about fishing.

When I arrived at the park, there was one lady walking her dog at the park who was just leaving as I got there. After that, other than a few birds that I saw, I was the only one there. I had the whole park to myself. It was a perfectly gorgeous day, and I enjoyed the solitude and the quiet as I walked around the pond. Although I walked alone, I had my camera with me and took pictures so that I could share what I saw there with you.

You may notice a little red Geo Metro in the background of some of these shots. That is my car. Although it is fourteen years old, it is still getting me where I want to be. I'm glad that it was available to me to take the drive up to George Bible Park. It was time well spent.

Lord, for the boundless beauty in this world that you provide for us to enjoy, let me be truly grateful.

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com