Creeping In

I can feel it. Autumn is creeping in. The days have noticeably shortenend. The sun is lower in the sky. When I turn the corner onto our road, the sun glares and I am blinded. I hope noone else is coming around the corner because there is no way to see. 

The colors are changing. They are getting darker and more mossy toned. In the garden, the zinnias are putting on a massive show. Rows of colorful blooms. I gather them in my wire basket, strip the leaves and fill my vases in the kitchen. I spread the vases around the house and think about what winter will be like without their bright cheerful colors. 

The amaranth varieties I planted are more like small shrubs. Crazy, spiky, falling over branches filled with miniature seed pods. The blooms almost look like spiky coral you might find under the sea. They flop over and then grow again. It is such a miraculous site. 

The cosmos are starting to struggle after putting out blossom after blossom since July. I regularly deadheaded them to help the blooms persist but then became overwhelmed with all the other gorgeousness and let them go. Now they are producing seeds.

Every autumn, I am amazed by the crazy bounty that keeps growing and growing as the days shorten. It is as if the plants know that winter is coming and they must produce in order to make it through to the next year. I wade through the thick stems, trying not to smush any of them so they can keep growing. I know that it will all be gone soon. Until next year. Just thinking about it makes me want to stay outside for hours. But I can't because I have other pressing things to do. 

I have discovered a new book called Autumn: An Anthology for the Seasons put out by The (British) Wildlife Trust. Looks like a perfect read for this time of year. You can find a couple of excerpts on-line here and here. 

Have a great weekend everyone. I have a knitting retreat coming up next weekend here at the farm. Fall festivals are beginning around here and there are so many that it is difficult to decide which to go to. Enjoy the photos, the changing weather and cooler temperatures.