Around here in Westchester County, everything's in full-blown, blazing departure. My yard can be freshly cleared, and two days later, it looks like this again.
There's a lot of color remaining, but you can tell we've crested the hill and face the downslope. For some, I know this is a sobering time to start dreading everything that comes with the holidays and winter. While I understand, I never can feel it. The leaves come down, and my sprits rise with the bonfires. I love the feel of the air, and there's no sweeter warmth than Indian summer. I begin overhauling my life, whistling happy tunes and tidying up the corners. Who wants to hunker down in a hovel?
With other donate-ables, I just sent 8 boxes of books away, painful but necessary. My work space is getting clean, clear, and expansive, along with my thoughts. I've tossed garbage and refined my filing. I've got a fresh palette of notecards to organize my novel's research, so I can spread them over the now-empty carpet in groupings as a colorful schematic reminder. Wonder where I got that idea? 
This time of year, I make plans to carry me through to spring, and as I'm a bulb that does its best work underground, the quiet, dormant season is my most productive. Soon, and very soon, the sweetgum tree above will look like it does below, exposed in all its architectural wonder. And I will be, once-again, working.
Do you find you can work during this time of year, or do you need to take a holiday yourself until the days start getting longer again?For more My Town Monday musings, go to Clair Dickson's clearing blog.
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11 comments:
I really enjoyed the photos. To answer your question: I can work during this time of year. Granted, there's not much of a fall in San Diego. :)
Lovely pics.
This is my favourite time of year. Meanwhile, I work better in the dark times and if there's a storm outside so much the better.
We are in the final days of leaf raking.Lovely pics.
Barrie- I went to a beach wedding at the Del Coronado hotel in January one year, and got stranded for an extra day because of a snowstorm in Chicago. That's a winter with its own loveliness!
Leah- Amen, sister! Storms are about one of the most cozy-making things I can imagine. Less so, if I'm out in them.
Patti- And then we'll be onto the snow season, predicted by many, including the almanac, to be a doozy. Perhaps I'm so excited because my in-laws gave us their snowblower!
At the top of a windy ridge we don't have to rake. Just get to look down on all the beauty that surrounds us. Today I'm happy because it's sunny and the grass...miracle of miracles...is still green!
Ah, the leaves, so beautiful in the trees, so...unbeautiful on my lawn! LOL!!
Love your photos ... and the leaves, so beautiful. What a great setting in which to work!
For me, fall is nice but I dread winter. I'd much rather have the nice warm weather and balmy breezes of summer. Writing while sitting on a beach facing the ocean is my idea of heaven. But, unfortunately practicalities intrude and work must be done no matter the season.
I love fall leaves! Thanks for the beautiful pix, Clare!
That's why we call you Lucky Lois!
Laura and Elaine- I agree, and think they're more beautiful because they don't last.
Cathi- I figured among the crowd we'd have at least one (and likely more) winter-dreaders. Take that D3, stock up on the greenhouse bulbs for your office, and hang on! The long sun will return! And maybe you can steal a quick, warm weekend somewhere in January?
Congrats on the de-cluttering, always helpful, although it's always tough to part with books.
I can write any day, any time, anywhere. I feel guilty staying in during the nice weather, so I guess the cold and the dark nights of fall and winter give me a great excuse to stay indoors and keep writing!
Best wishes with your writing productivity, Clare!
Beautiful fall pics - love fall! Believe it or not - we have some leaf changing here.
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