October 5, 2011

A Walk in the Woods: Jeweled Paths



There is a brief time, after leaves begin to fall and before they turn brown, when the ground beneath my feet is more brightly colored than the space above me. As I walk along, the balance of color changes, more red here, more yellow there, and in some areas, the browns of later fall spotted by a bits of color.




The golden warmth of the path beckons like a Yellow Brick Road under still green leaves. A delicate rustling sound accompanies me as I shuffle the dry leaves, and there is the very special scent of autumn in the woods. I feel as though I've walked into a kitchen – a cool one – where something unique is being prepared, using pungent spices, familiar from years past, but available only for a short while, and no place else.


5 comments:

  1. Ah yes that smell, it evokes the richness of change, life and death as leaves decay while fungi spring forth magically each day.

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  2. I always enjoy strolling through the woods with you. Aaahhhh yes, I can smell the summer leftovers stewing and the fresh herbs of fall falling into the mix.

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  3. thanks all for the comments, and the additional verbal images.

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