Fall Reflections

I spent yesterday tramping through Lost Maples State Park with a group of fellow photographers. Lost Maples is one of the few places near San Antonio with naturally occurring Fall color and draws huge crowds when the colors start to turn. Despite the large groups of Fall color fans there was plenty of room for everyone. We each had plenty of room to kick some leaves and take photos. We stayed until well after dark. I had forgotten how gorgeous the sky could be in remote areas. Despite the sore back (from lugging camera gear) soar legs (need to get working on those lunges again) and two lungs full of cedar (no ill effects, thank you very much) I really feel like I need to make a point to get out to the far beyond more often.

A Perfect Autumn Day

Just outside the gates of Dryburgh Abbey in the borders area of Scotland, waits a view of my perfect Autumn day. There are trees waving a last goodbye in brilliant colors. A lovely stone wall with bits of moss as mortar. A further fence to keep the sheep and cattle off the abbey grounds. The view is all the more precious because there won't be another like it for me once I return home. South Texas seasons don't so much "turn" as casually glance over one shoulder and then another. So I throughly enjoyed my Fall in Scotland. Cold and rain, sunny days with a jacket still required and so many colors I felt like I had a seat next to a forest fire that burned without damage. Almost Thanksgiving and I sit here in the cottage with all the windows open and the sun shining brightly. Dreaming of a cool, damp beautiful Scotland waiting for my return.

Gardening in Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year around here. Cool nights and warm days. This is the one time of year my "yarden" gets closest to my English garden dream.