Autumn...

The graceful dance that usually accompanies October is absent today. Instead there is some wild whirling dervish of a devil woman moaning and whistling and shaking her skirts. No gentle caresses for those tired tree limbs of summer, so nearly ready to release their burdern of leaves. But a whoop and a grab and a shake and they are not only down but sailing across the roads and sidewalks. Piling up, like so much hastily dumped trash.
I would have to say this devil woman is not a pretty sight. When she howls like this, and shakes the trees on nights when the moon is full, one feels safer with our heads under the covers.
It may only be the 7th of October, but from the look of the hardwood trees, November isn't going to have much to do when she gets here.
The dry summer and odd temperature changes seem to have robbed the maples of their glowing red color here in my part of WI. The yellow glows as boldly as possible, but after today very little will be left, except on the ground.
But of course that provides a whole new adventure for school children and small pets. Those dancing leaves have intrigued many a dog, cat or child....drifting down so lazily from above, only to whirl and shoot upward again.
The days of leaf houses in the school yard, and leaf piles to jump in seem long gone. No longer do I see fathers in their sweaters, leaning on the rake watching the slow progress of the burn pile as the dry leaves fill the autumn air with their own special odor.
No more do you see the blacken remains of the leaf pile next to the curbs the next morning.
Very few corn shocks grace the farm fields or any place else except compliments of a yard designer. A few corn stalks some pumpkins and indian corn..ala autumn.
Somehow I doubt there is even remotely a sense of adventure at being buried in a pile of maple leaves anymore. I should ask my grandsons about that, but I have a pretty good idea what the answer would be. I'm sure it's not that bleak everywhere, but to me it seems we are losing alot. When everything is mechanical and organized and tucked into a compartment, or needs special equipment to enhance it. Where did all the excitement of the season changing go to? No one stuffing leaves down your shirt anymore? There seemed to be no end to what we could think of and do with autumns 'leavings'.

Do you have "leaf" pictures? It seems to me that somewhere there is a picture of that little blond Finn sitting in the middle of a pile of leaves. Leaves in her hair and all...grinning like a goose...I'll have to see if I can find that picture..*VBS*