STORMY DAY

(click on picture to enlarge and see the leaves blowing around)

There's no doubt about it, Autumn is definitely here. It's about 55 degrees outside with a gusty wind and lots of rain splashing big drops everywhere. The leaves are dancing happily as the wind twirls them in that crazy dance of Autumn, and the maple seeds spin joyfully to the ground like hundreds of elfin helicopters. On days like this I shift into low gear and just sort of dreamily drag through the day, thinking of a nice nap.

My deck is getting a new pattern. Slowly the bright summer flowers are nodding their heads and closing their eyes while the orange, golds and browns of the leaves make their colors known. I can hear the sounds of the wind in the huge evergreen out back, and the soft whispering it makes in the maple. Are they telling secrets?



The willow tree by the shed is flirting outrageously with Mr. Wind, Dancing around like a fallen woman, lifting her skirts and bending too and fro in such a wanton way. And you can't imagine how improper the Hemlock is behaving. Why each time she tosses her long tresses or lifts her skirts he bows and waves his long arms frantically to get her attention.


When I was a girl there were two Horse Chestnut trees between my home and the school I attended. I can still hear the crunch of the crisp brown leaves as I ran home after school. I also remember the shock when I accidently went skidding on a hard, round chestnut and landed on my behind on the sidewalk! I immediately looked all around to see if anyone had seen me do something so ungraceful. Some things never change. That is one.


The sky is very dark with storm clouds, and it will soon be night time. The wind and rain will continue and more leaves will fall throughout the night.
Tomorrow the branches will be closer to naked, and old man winter will soon be on my doorstep.


I'll invite him in and we will have tea and hot gingerbread.


See, this is what stormy days do to me!

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