Feel the rain on your skin……..
The rain falls softly on the carpet of leaves in my back garden. The drops glisten on the reds and yellows. Nature’s blanket is a burnished patchwork quilt lovingly stitched together. These little food factories have done their job well! They have sustained the giant maple and elm trees in our backyard. It is time to return their nourishment back to the soil. Fall has begun. The leaves give us one final display with their deep maroon and orange before they drop to the soft earth.
Reaching for something in the distance, so close you can almost touch it….
Last night I stood on my friend’s terrace in the city. They are leaving Canada for a while to follow a job opportunity in Europe. It was time to say ‘au revoir.’ We looked over the bustling streets and enjoyed the warmth of the Indian summer. The sun was setting in the distance and the stately CN Tower presided over all her shorter subjects. It stood silhouetted against the backdrop of the orange sky. It was a panorama to behold! I turned my face to the setting sun and squeezed out the last few rays. It was not to last……the sun slid behind the frames of concrete. It was gone; the orange hue was but a lingering memory. Shelved away safely in my memory bank and to be drawn upon in those long Canadian winters! The interesting conversation and my fine glass of merlot was a comfort.
Live your life with arms wide open……
It is Thanks Giving weekend and time to give thanks for our bounty. Orange pumpkins and crisp red apples are plenty. Mothers scurry around and plan the feast for the family. Dusty recipe books are being consulted and larders are bursting with supplies. The poor ‘frozen bird’ hangs on for dear life on the shelf in the fridge! One can get nothing else to fit in there when the ‘resting turkey’ awaits its fate. It too will have its moment of splendour. It is, after all, the honoured guest at our table adorned with its white frilled legs and laced with delicious gravy.
No one else can speak the words on your lips……
One realizes that with all things here in Canada, there is a time for everything. As the leaves drop to the ground, it is now the time to celebrate and rejoice in our family and friends. We have been blessed with kind neighbours and wonderful friends in this our new country. But there will also be a special place set at our table for our family and friends that are far away.
Let the sun illuminate the words that are written…..
Sounds delicious, inviting, comforting, but I’ll be half a world away in the heart of Africa. The contrasts are startling. The food and friends are absent, as is the threat of any cold of winter.
My vista is the mile-wide languid span of the Congo River, sweeping by with drifting islands of hyacinth from some faraway flood. A mile away downstream are the descending tiers of rapids that look like standstill versions of Fukushima’s tsunamis.
It’s that barrier that’s kept “civilisation” from ever reaching these twin capital cities. The bored soldiers laze below with their squadron of T72 tanks pointed to the capital other side. Or perhaps it’s at the imagined foreign invasion that will never come. Who would want to take on this awesome but flawed and soul-searing paradise?
The long and shimmering reflection of the sun is warm and golden despite the muddy waters.
We will miss your presence today. We have set a place for you so I know you will be there in spirit. Be safe. A x
Autumn leaves……… Wheel barrow and pumpkin……… Words from the heart……. The more of life’s kneading you go through Poppie, the better you Blog!!! And as for the photography ……. My oh my……….
Thanks Joye, I know that you are keeping an eye on me from afar! A x
Music, quotes, fine photography and oh what wonderful words you have written – all so carefully thought out! Thank you dearest friend! Love winging it’s way from my home to yours for you and all that live in it; from South to North 🙂 x
Thanks Jan, it is wonderful when technology can keep one in touch! A x