Thursday, November 3, 2011

Change

red-vine
seed-pods-and-thin-trees
joes-cafe
river
yellow-tree-outside-house
paper-in-grass
burnaby-leaves
trees
messy-leaves
the mustardy house on the right is ours
bouncing-leaves
overlooking-alley
this is the view from the balcony off our bedroom
rubbish-on-bank
red-twice
skyline
mushrooms-on-lawn
This is my first Fall. In Brisbane, back home, what we call Autumn is a lovely season of cooling down for the winter but there aren't a great deal of noticeable changes. Trees don't lose their leaves. So, I love seeing changes around Vancouver as the trees tell us it is time to get ready for the shorter days, the cold and the rain. I think it's beautiful that even in a busy city, the trees are still so connected to the cycles of life on this Earth that we can't avoid the messages they tell us.

Kicking and crunching leaves is something I do with the enthusiasm of a child. I've never had to rake leaves off the pavement before so thankfully our neighbour Annie is friendly and helpful (and patient) and has lent me their rake and some technique training for filling bags. Through Sunday afternoon leaf raking I was also able to meet our neighbours from 2 doors down who have lived in this neighbourhood (same house) for 63 years. I hope to hear their stories some day. I'm saving the leaves in garbage bags for our compost throughout the year.

One afternoon recently when admiring colourful* leaves I had the realisation* that the more they change colour, the more they fall and thus loose their colour and before long the branches will be completely bare - for many long winter months. People do get a little sad about the winter here, and I was really feeling for those naked branches until I saw the first new snow on the mountains driving to work last week. I was cured of any winter sadness. The trees will be beautiful, are beautiful, even in their bareness. I love the change of seasons, there is something to be loved about all of the different times of year.

*I think it's great that Canadians and Australians share many spellings, where Americans don't.

7 comments:

  1. Oh Sharolyn, your photos are breathtakingly beautiful! I especially love all the red-leaved trees! Autumn is somehow much more noticeable and colourful here on the northern hemisphere than I remember it being back home.

    p.s. I know to still run, excitedly through a pile of fallen leaves!

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  2. Oh the red! So, so pretty. Just beautiful photos!

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  3. Sharolyn...your photos are so amazing! glad to see you posting again! hope you are having a fabulous bc fall!

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  4. These are great! Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting- and welcome to Vancouver! So glad you are enjoying the beautiful colours of fall here.

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  5. Hi Shazz, love your latest snowy pics! Reminds me of my time in Canada in '72 (I was in Quebec in winter).
    I don't think "delicious, extravagant and delightful" just applies to dark chocolate - it strikes me as a good description of you!

    PeterB

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