Fall's Frenzy

Photo October 14, 2018

In October Mother Nature seems to send a little madness, painting and repainting the trees. A once staid scene in sensible green slowly breaks out into reds, oranges and yellows.



Each day brings changes. My eyes feast on the riot of colour.




The sun saturates the colours.

Photo: October 26

Ivies join the colour changes before leaving buildings barren.




Slowly the yellows predominate, glorious on a sunny day. But grey skies seem to be more frequent.


Photo: November 3

The magic of autumn is slowly ebbing as grey, rainy days set in. While October featured reds and oranges, the landscape is slowly moving to sepia.




Up on Mount Royal, the fallen leaves carpet the ground. On the first day after changing the clocks it is noticeable how by 3:00 the shadows are long as we enter into a period of early sunsets and long nights.

Leaf Blowing

Photos: October 25, 2016

There was a time when rakes were the tool of choice in autumn. Now there is the noise and smell of leaf blowers. I'm amazed that there are still users of this tool who don't wear ear protection. Just walking past I had to block my ears.



There is something delightful of seeing the leaves swirl up as they are directed towards an area where they are piled up. Then the rakes and shovels take over as they are bagged or piled into trucks or left by the curb for the city to collect.

Autumn in the City

Everywhere you look the leaves are changing. The air has a crisp feel while underfoot the fallen leaves crunch under my feet.



Autumn is making her presence known.



While I try to briskly walk to my destination, I cannot help but stop and admire the splendour.



Moments in a day - in an ever-changing season. This is not the time to hurry past; change happens quickly.



It is the changing seasons that catch my fancy - spring and fall  - times of growth and change. Each day brings new wonders, new spectacles to savour.

Leaves are Starting

Leaves are Starting, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Each day I check for signs of growth. Some bushes are starting to sprout the beginnings of leaves. It is a time of greening. Sun, rain and longer days are nurturing new growth. Wouldn't it be nice if it were so easy to identify the elements to help students grow? But education does not have an easy formula and is certainly not one way for all.

New Growth

New Growth, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Like a butterfly
emerging from a cocoon
the leaves of the horse chestnut tree
slowly unfold
Mysteries revealed.

Making Lace

Making Lace, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Something has been busy turning these leaves into lace. Fortunately this is not in my garden. The flowers on this still bloomed beautifully. I wonder how long it will take the critters to finish their "handiwork".

Fly

Fly, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Photo: May 29, 2011

Water droplets, still a constant in our lives - but we live with droplets, not hail, not tornadoes, not hurricanes. And, unlike the nearby Richelieu Valley, we are not experiencing flooding. Everything is lush. The grass seems to grow faster than you can mow it. Leaves are reaching their fullness. It is just people who wilt under the greyness.

Sunny days are coming. I'm off to the market to get those annuals that fill in the holes in my mainly perennial garden.

It's Starting

It's Starting, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Some trees are wearing cloaks of delicate pale green lace. No longer bare, they begin to put on this spring-time splendour. Each day their branches sprout more as lace turns to a thicker woven canopy.

Brown Leaves

Brown Leaves, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Nature is putting on a show with splashes of colour on the trees in the city. Some wear bright yellows, oranges and reds. This one has turned from green to a rich brown. I wonder at the variety of colours that supplant the summer green. Why the variety? What purpose does it serve other than a feast for the eyes?

Apr 19/10: The curtain is closing

Apr 19/10: The curtain is closing, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The leaves are filling in, hiding the long view to the river. I can still see through the dappled veil, but not for much longer. Spring is really here.

Apr 12/10 Coming Soon

Apr 12/10 Coming Soon, originally uploaded by susanvg.

In this all too early spring, the tulips are poking their heads through the leaves. And my garden has a northern exposure with growth slower than the sunnier side. I have seen tulips that are open wide. Our temperatures are back down to about seasonal which means possibilities of frost. The hardy tulips will survive, but the delicate blossoms that are emerging too soon may not. Climate change has its challenges.

Day 278: Autumn Colour

Day 278: Autumn Colour, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Autumn sets the leaves on fire
Bursts of red like flames
Licking up to the sky
I often wonder why some branches blaze
while others hold onto their green garments
And why this majestic display
before the long sleep of winter

Day 252: Colours Change

Day 252: Colours Change, originally uploaded by susanvg.

We have had a delayed summer with rainy, cool weather in July. By the middle of August it heated up and temperatures still linger slightly over seasonal averages. I put on my shorts and t-shirt, go out in my sandles, and enjoy the mild weather. The leaves, despite the temperature, know that autumn is closing in. Tinges of red can be seen on some leaf tips. The shorter days, as we approach the equinox, must signal the trees to don their autumnal splendour. A time of change.

Day 169: Raindrops

Day 169: Raindrops, originally uploaded by susanvg.

A rainy day - finally my garden has been well-watered. Some garden work I enjoy. Planting brings such a feeling of hope, knowing that there will be growth and change. Weeding can be relaxing or invigorating depending on my mood. Sometimes I just enjoy being in the garden so the weeding is part of the experience. Other times it is my way of getting out my anger at a situation, with weeds taking the brunt. As I pull off the dead heads, I can stop and appreciate the nearby blossoms. But watering is just a bore. I hate dragging the hose around and dancing around the spray as I move it to the next spot. I let my flowers send down deep roots and hope they will thrive. It's ecological, I tell myself. I don't waste water. But secretly I hope the rain clouds will come and do the work for me. So I appreciate the rain.

Day 123: Leaves Unfurl

Day 123: Leaves Unfurl, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Another day and spring continues its advance. Some rain has primed the flora for growth. The pale green flowers, covering the trees with a spray of colour are being replaced by a new growth of young leaves. It's a season of promise, of new beginnings.
As someone in education it is also a time of endings, as school years and projects make their final push to summer vacations. It is the tension between the two that make this time so alive - new growth in nature bursting forth and growth in learning coming to fruition.

Day 118: The fiddleheads open

Day 118: The fiddleheads open, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Spring is the ephemeral season. Nothing lasts; change is constant. Each day the sights from yesterday have morphed into new delights. These ferns, just tiny fiddleheads yesterday, started to unfurl; tomorrow they may point their fronds skyward. The trees are dappled with delicate green lace like pointillist paintings. It is definitely my favourite season.