viewed from a distance

Cloudy. The Green Mountains are breathtaking now as they have turned the color of an Indian Head penny, a lustrous bronze. It must be the color of the oaks viewed from a distance. Over in the Taconics, setting sun accentuating the bright yellows of the aspens near West Rutland. Migration of the Canada Geese is in full swing. Saw a flock of at least 50 high in the sky over Ira the other day. They made a very distant visual impression with the movement of their wings against a bright blue sky; almost like observing paramecium in a petri dish as viewed through a microscope. Four ducks silently highballing through the same air space along the Ira Creek, at a much lower elevation.

twilight commute

Sunny. This is the time of year when the length of the day aligns with my work commute. The sun is rising when I go in, and it is setting when I come home. It is an opportunity to observe some beautiful sunrises & sunsets. Today's sunrise was very unusual. The dark grey clouds were painted along the bottom with light tan highlights, the color of the dried corn stalks fast disappearing from neighboring fields.
It is interesting to see that large flocks of crows are also commuting with the rising and setting of the sun. I see them when I am coming to work. They are heading west from the woodlands towards the swamps, and low lying corn fields along the Otter Creek. When I am leaving work, they are doing the same; cawing their way home to the pine forests west of the Green Mountains.

Indian Summer

It was sunny and in the 70's yesterday, Indian Summer. Temps in the 60's this morning. The 2nd wave of foliage season is ongoing with the oaks, birch, aspen, and beeches turning. Snack bar on Cold River Road has closed for the season. Smell of dried maple leaves when walking over to production. It's like nutmeg.

Christmas balls

Cloudy. Vines of October & November appearing. Fuzzy white puff balls dispersed all along them. Small pumpkins decorate the old foundation at the bottom of Chapman Hill. Apples yellowing on the trees in the back field. They start to remind me of shiny Christmas balls.

fall to winter to fall

Cloudy. Spent the weekend in Lake Placid, New York. It is winter there! Glad to get back to fall in Vermont. Starting up the wood stove, and consquently bringing the wood stove utensils down from the attic. Chap stick season has started. Sounds of gunfire in the woods. Juncos gathering on the lawns at home and work as they ready for their migration.

good bye

Cloudy. Windbreaker weather. Snowflake sighting on the drive to work this morning. About a week ago, I was heading up into the back field when I spotted some Nodding Ladies Tresses, one of the last wildflowers of the year. I was finally able to check it off my wildflowers of Vermont life list. Later that night I was able to bag four of the members of the Messier catalogue through my telescope near the constellation Sagittarius (astronomical nerd speak). Wildflowers and summer constellations will be disappearing soon, replaced by the night sky of winter, and dark pines. The full moon, the "Hunter's" moon, is tonight.

The bright moon
on the tatami:
the shadow of the pine tree.
Kikaku
Zen page a day calendar

heading home

Cloudy. People raking up leaves in their yards. Leaves on the tops of the maples are gone, but still remain on the bottom. Sometimes those leaves are actually the most colorful. Woods Market in Brandon is closed for the season. Ducks flying over the marsh in West Rutland. I remember seeing them flying along in their silent turbocharged way early in the spring, maybe in March. Perhaps they are getting ready to migrate in the other direction to their winter homes. Speaking of migrating home, welcome home, Bill.

browns

28 degrees and sunny. The Green Mountains have turned into something else. The brown hues are becoming more prominant. There are many of them, yellow, orange, and red; very pale browns and beige colors like you see in the corn stalks drying in the fields. There are more conventional shades of brown like one finds in some of the oak leaves, and the barks of trees; now revealed as the leaves have fallen away. There are the cooler colors like the greys. They can be observed in some of the dessicated remains of the goldenrod along the roads. The deer seem to mimic many of these muted colors as their coats thicken up for winter.

elevation

Sunny. Warming up the car in the morning to clear away the frost. Haven't brought out the scrapers yet. Wearing long sleeved shirts to work now. Snow at the tops of the Green Mountains & Adirondacks. Tiger Swallowtails and woolly caterpillers crossing Rte, 133. Different stages of development and elevation.

leaves reprise

Cloudy. As I mentioned last week, leaves take on a life of their own at this time of year. I was driving into town the other day in my truck. The dry leaves that accumulated in the back would pop up and down in the rear view mirror as they cycled through the circular currents caused by the cab and the bed of the truck. It was like they were jumping up from the back of the truck to check out the fall foliage. Sheen of frost on the grass in Middlebury

vines

Rainy. Ruffed grouse seen peeking through some underbrush along Quality Lane. Fallen leaves encircle the maples like large golden throw rugs. Season of vines. Vines are seen overhanging trees, and climbing along fences & guy wires. The leaves of the vines sometimes remain on the trees after the actual tree leaves are gone.

smoke

Sunny. Smoke from a chimney from a house in Pittsford last evening. This is actually a very late observation. Usually I start seeing signs of fires from wood stoves sometime in late August. When I got home, there was the smell of smoke from a wood fire in the front yard. I went in and started a fire, first one of the year

thermals

Sunny. 27 degrees this morning, and a hard frost. Good bye to the basil. Clear plastic covering over gardens in Ferrisberg. Hang gliders riding the thermals over the Taconics the other day. First time I've seen them all year. Mushrooms sprouting from the lawn at work after a recent rain.

long sleeved shirts

Cloudy. Wedding in Chicago. It was warm and sunny every day we were there. Andy says it is always like that. Wearing long sleeved shirts to work. Primary campaign signs transition into signs for the general election. Halloweeen decorations appear in W. Rutland.

The hermit doesn't sleep
at night:
In love with the blue of
the vacant moon.
The cool of the breeze
that rustles the trees
rustles him, too.
Ching An
Zen Page a Day Calendar

leaves

Season of leaves.

10/7/09

Cloudy. At this time of year, it's possible to see leaves in a different way. I usually think that the natural state for leaves is for them to be attached to a tree. But now that seems as sensible as saying the natural state for a horse is for it to be tethered to a hitching post. It seems that leaves only reveal themselves, show their "leafiness" when they are finally liberated from their moorings on the ends of branches. On a windy day, it gladdens the heart to watch them chase each other down the road. They seem to be in such a hurry to get to wherever it is they think they're going. It is uplifting to drive under a cloud of leaves released by the wind from tall trees. They resemble a swarm of butterflies heading south for the winter. On a calm New England morning, when the time is right, they just calmly melt off the trees, and drop softly to the ground, like hot wax dripping off a candle. Some of the leaves even seem to have figured out that they would be better off indoors, out of the cold and damp. They congregate outside our front door at home, waiting to get in. Quite a number of them make it inside. One can find them happily ensconced on the door mat in the kitchen at home, and in hallways and offices at work.

cemetery

Cloudy. Amur maples starting to turn in Charlotte. They are intensely red. Orion appearing in the morning sky. Saw a maple being turned into firewood at a house in Shelburne, cut but not yet split. The logs were on their sides, scattered on the lawn. They looked like circular tombstones in an arboreal cemetery.

auburn

Late today. Rainy. Three giant pumpkins on a cart outside Glenn Story's house in Shelburne. They weigh hundreds of pounds each. The beautiful sunflowers of just a few weeks ago are now black and brown. They actually look charred, like a wildfire went through the field. Signs for the Haunted House in Pittsford are now on display. Noticing the cattail leaves. They are huge. Some are orange, some are brown which makes for a beautiful auburn appearance. Reminds me of the hair of two of my favorite people, cousins John Kahle and Emily Brown.

geese

Cloudy. When up in the mountains, noticing the contrast between the oranges, reds, & yellows of the deciduous trees in contrast with the dark greens of the pines. Makes for a beautiful scene. Pods of the cattails are opening. Canada geese seen foraging in a field in Proctor, and flying overhead in Shelburne. Their cries bespeak wildness and freedom, so stirring.

Autumn quietness:
a chestnut leaf sinks
through clear water.

Shokaku
Zen page a day calendar

pennant!

Cloudy. Scarecrows, dried corn & pumpkin decorations on front lawns. Leaves seem to be turning earlier than usual. Probably due to the drier than normal summer. Apple picking observed at Mendon Mtn. Orchards along with the sale of apple cider. Baseball season comes to a close, but not for the Giants. The Giants win the pennant! Summer lives!

drenching

Happy binary number day! Drenching rains. It's another world. Patter on the roof. Splashing through puddles to get to the car. Cascades gushing off the roof at work, like a waterfall. Rivers of water in the streets. Silvery drops gleam from the pine needles on the tree outside my window. Hard to believe it's the day after yesterday.