Sunday, October 9, 2016

Surrendering to Fall

I surrender, fall.

I was able to make believe it was summer until yesterday.  Last week, up near Rochester, New York (where I was visiting), temperatures were hitting in the mid-70's (22-24 Celsius), and I could pretend fall wasn't happening.
With a "fall" filter but the leaves are truly changing
But then I came home to my part of upstate New York, near Binghamton.  Just a few miles east of where I live, this is what the foliage looked like yesterday.

Today it is breezy and cool.  I am having to change out of my shorts and capris.  And tomorrow night, we will have our first frost.

So today, I went around, and said farewell to my summer garden.
Farewell, columnar basil.

Farewell, dahlias.  Soon, spouse will dig up your tubers and you will sleep sweetly through the winter.

Farewell, my pot of New Guinea impatiens and coleus.
Farewell, farewell, to my white asters in the back (a "free gift" from a wonderful nursery in Ithaca, New York).

Farewell, garden.  I will think of you fondly as the cold winds turn even colder.

One day, the first snowflakes will drift through the air.  I will put my shoes away and switch to boots.

And I will dream of this day, the day before the garden ended.  And hope that spring comes quickly.

Day 9 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.

9 comments:

  1. Hi Alana,
    Fall is my favorite seasons. It's when I get to shop for and start wrapping holiday gifts. I love jackets and boots which I get to wear again as the weather cools.

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  2. Awwwww, you can do what my husband's family did numerous times and move from NY to CA. It does get colder here, but not yet. Your flowers are beautiful. :)

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  3. Looking forward to seeing Winter through your eyes.

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  4. I am going through the exact opposite now... I remember feeling like this when the winter started in May. It feels so wonderful to see your plants grow. I lost quite a few of them in winter... mostly because I don't know how to take care of them. The colors of fall are pretty too :)

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  5. I was in the area (Oakdale) this past weekend and enjoyed the colors on Saturday.
    Ray

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  6. Aww! Saying bye to the flowers is sad but winter with have its own charm.Looking forward to the change of seasons, Alana.

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  7. I can imagine it must be a sad feeling to see your labour of love wither away. The garden, the plants, the flowers which were tended with love, it must be difficult to bid them farewell.

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  8. And here in the subtropical south, we are just getting ready to plant our fall vegetable garden!

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  9. But you'll have the pictures to remind you of warmer days. And to look forward to in just a few short months (and they're getting shorter all the time...).

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