Autumn In New England

"The leaves have lost hold of the branches as always; which leaves us with gold and wine colored pathways.” ~ k.d. lang

AAaahhhhhh! Autumn in New England – need I say more?! Probably not, but I can’t stop myself. Today, as I write this, is October 14th. Here in Southern New England we are not quite at peak, they say. However, some leaves are gone off the trees completely while others are not turning into their brilliant yellow, red or orange, but rather almost into a faded yellow or blotchy yellow-brown. It’s as if they skipped their peak stage. There are a lot of trees still that are completely deep green. There are many though, that bare the classic gorgeous, stunning colors you’d expect to see in New England. I’m reminded of a peacock almost – like the trees are vying for attention, each one trying to out-do the other – as if they’re in competition with one another. Which one can be the most breathtaking? It’s like at Christmas-time when the good people of our small town will decorate their homes and yards with lights, nativity scenes, reindeer and Santas. Each one is brilliant and special. Every year you know which ones you can count on and you look forward to seeing them lit up in the holiday season. And so it is with the trees in the Fall. You know which ones usually turn first and which ones are always, always brilliant.

As I started out on my walk with Missy today, I debated with myself about whether to bring my camera. I decided against it. I had already taken pictures on several mornings and I wanted to fully enjoy the colors without the distraction of trying to get the perfect shot. Besides, I’ve come to realize that my camera just does not do justice to the real thing. I’ll see this awesome display of colors bursting through a collage of green and when I look at the picture afterwards it’s just not as wonderful. I don’t have any fancy camera and I don’t claim to be a photographer. And, if you are ever in need of video, do yourself a huge favor and be sure not to ask me. You’ll have to trust me on that one. Others can attest to this though.

We live down a long driveway about 2/10’s of a mile from the road. We refer to our driveway, which we share with our neighbors, in sections of which there are 4. Starting from our house, the first section - heading SSW - is from the bottom of our deck steps up to "the corner;" then you make a left turn - heading ESE - into the section we call "the straightaway;" (there is a gorgeous stonewall that runs parallel to the straightaway on the right with woods on the other side of it. Our neighbor's house is on the left and their private drive comes out onto the common driveway here), then – my favorite section - you turn right into “the enchanted forest” and lastly, you emerge from the forest and make an S turn and on up "the hill." On the right side of the hill is a nice open field and on the left is the rear yard and large vegetable garden of “Mr. McGregor.” (I think my Mom first started to refer to the section through the woods as the “enchanted forest.” My boys were thrilled by this, but more on that in another post!) So, as you walk through the enchanted forest, of course there are woods on either side. At the beginning of the forest, which is just at the end of the straightaway, the stonewall is interrupted due to the driveway cutting through it and through the woods there. I like to sit on the stonewall while I finish my morning coffee. Missy is always impatient yet tolerant when I do this. I need to have her on her leash at this point because there are usually deer nearby which she has been known to chase through the woods. As I sit on the stonewall, I never tire of gazing into the woods along the edge of the straightaway as the sun – just beginning to rise – lights up the tips of the trees in the sort of amber hue that you only see at dawn and dusk. The sun seems to rise so quickly, moving down the trees now as the amber light becomes more washed with yellow. Even when the trees are their deep dark green, the sight of them in the morning amber light at this angle is stunning. Now, with the trees in varying shades of yellow, orange and red, it is truly breathtaking. I look down the gravel driveway through the enchanted forest. The tall trees on either side reach over to meet in the middle above the driveway and the canopy is now aglow with the morning sun lighting up this, usually darker stretch, with soft amber light. It reminds me almost of sitting in a room; the door is open and the light from it is spilling into the otherwise darkened hallway lighting it up with a gentle glow. Or perhaps, more like a “farmer’s porch” in the evening which is lit up by the soft glow of recessed lights in the porch ceiling which have been dimmed. You can’t see the actual harsh lights or light fixtures, but rather a nice faint glimmer. Just as the ceiling canopy of the enchanted forest is brilliant, the gravel forest floor here - not to be out done – is covered with a beautiful array of fallen leaves creating lovely “gold and wine colored pathways.” How much better can this get?

I walk through the enchanted forest with Missy and up the hill to finally meet the road. From my mail box here to the end of my road is a mere 7/10’ths of a mile more or less. It is level and straight. Our street has a variety of homes and is lined with stonewalls and huge oak trees. How old are the walls and the bigger trees? 200 years? There are 2 homes at the end of our street that have “historical” plaques on them. One is from 1775 and the other dates back to 1812. Where our road ends you must either turn left or right onto Lake Street (if you are driving), Missy and I always go straight across into the park and the lake is just 200 feet ahead. Also at the end of our street is the town green with memorials, monuments, plantings and walking pathways. This is where the people gather with the parade for a ceremony every Memorial Day. (Another post!)

There is a beautiful park to walk through, the water’s edge, the paths up through the woods to “The Point,” which overlooks the lake, the cemetery nearby and on and on. I’ll not even try to further describe the beauty of all this during any of the seasons let alone the Fall, (though I will describe different things about these lovely places in other posts.) I’m not a poet or a writer and I’m sure much has already been written about autumn in New England. I’ll just say I marvel at it all and never ever tire of it. There is so much gorgeousness in this 2+ mile walk. (There is so much gorgeousness in my own yard and driveway before even getting up to the road). I think every season is my favorite.

On my walk back today I stopped several times, as I usually do, just to look. I must have been stopped longer than usual at this one spot in the road. It is the area where you can see the valley and the hills beyond. The distant hills, in Fall colors, look rather like a bowl of fruit loops or trix and the early sun, of course, works its magic upon them. Suddenly I am aware that Missy is looking at me – head cocked. “How long have I been out?” I wonder and I wonder what she is thinking. I’m reminded of my favorite poem by Robert Frost as he stops by the woods on a snowy evening – just looking and gawking, no doubt, at the beauty of the snow falling in the woods, so “lovely, dark and deep,” and Frost writes: “my little horse must think it queer to stop without a farmhouse near, between the woods and frozen lake---” Missy gives her leash a little tug and grunts. Frost writes: “he gives his harness bells a shake, to ask if there is some mistake.” “OK,” I say to Missy. “Let’s go.” I tear myself away and on we walk a bit further before turning left into our driveway, continuing down the hill, through the enchanted forest – picking up the coffee cup I left there on the stonewall at the start - and the straightaway, then round the bend and up the steps to our deck. With the sun rising later we’ve been getting a later start. We’ve been out just over an hour and it is now close to 8:00. Early still I guess. (I’m looking forward to the time change soon so I can get out an hour earlier. I loved getting out before 5:00 during most of the summer.) I give Missy a treat and pour a glass of water for myself. I stand near the sliders while I drink my water, still looking, and take a deep breath when I am done. I am ready to shower and start my day.

Editor's Note: I hope you will Google "Stopping By Woods on A Snowy Evening" and also "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. 2 of my favorites. If you are reading my blog, I know they are your favorites too! Enjoy!