seasons

Wednesday, September 16, 2009


queen anne's lace going to seed

I wonder what will I photograph in winter ? Ice and snow and white and blues. Iridescence and sparkling and cold. Turns out I do love the Summer and this time of year. MLou was right (yet again). I had convinced myself that I loved the Winter almost best. That I craved that blanket of early darkness, that I couldn't wait for Autumn. To tuck myself in early every night and hide away in my brick den and wait happily for Spring, curled up by the fire with Miss D and les chats. To stroll the streets of this little village bundled up in fleece and down, Miss D and I, under the stars and moon instead of our usual dawn and dusk.

Having Dennis, who mows my lawn, has made a huge difference in how I feel about Summer. Summer can so easily completely overwhelm me. The soil that surrounds this old brick house must be very fertile because things, every thing, grows with an exuberance that's quite spectacular. All around us homes have neat and tidy yards, they're tamed and then there's us - a giant patch of vivid green, tangled and unruly wildness. If I lived out in the country it wouldn't matter so much. Each late Spring along with the tulips and daffodils, when things are just coming to life, I kid myself I'll manage, I'll finally tame this beast and then by July it's as if overnight the yard and gardens have taken over and I hang my white flag and dream of going outside and lying down in the grass, freshly mowed by Dennis ... and just lying there hoping and waiting for Prince heavy machinery to arrive ...
to save us.

It is one very good thing about Winter, my self consciousness about our mad jungle retreats once again - tucked away in the den along with us. As I watch, smell and feel Autumn rushing toward us I do feel sad that Summer's over. I want the days to slow down now, to crawl along please.




10 comments:

  1. Susan - I feel the same exact way about our yard. Every Spring I am determined to keep things under control, tidy up regularly, keep the Maryland vines from overtaking our house, and every single year I fail! Actually, I think I give up mid-July. Somehow, our neighbors keep things spit-spot and perfect, and here we are, the house of weeds and vines! LOL! I, too, feel some relief when the snow covers the ground. One thing off the list!

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  2. Love the way you answered your own question of "I wonder, what will I photograph in Winter". Can hardly wait for the results.Your variety of photographs, including older polaroids are such a delight...and the yard? Look at it as nature's refuge. Permaculture studies here stress that spic and span does not always contribute to "nature's corridors". I really like the quality of light in your photos Susan.

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  3. Well, I tend to like natural landscaping better than all trimmed and neat, but I guess it can go too far.
    Maybe you can talk you neighbors into going a little more au naturel to minimize the contrast.

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  4. I hope Dennis has a big shovel..... cuz that'll be next ...

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  5. B Vee, I love to shovel snow so that's not a worry. It's the sputtering, fuming, loud motorized machine that I don't like.

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  6. ps. and the grass is much to thick and the area too large for an eco friendly, near silent push mower. Snow ... not a problem

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  7. Our immediate yard area is pretty tame because I arrive home to fresh cut grass and a trimmed fence line every couple of weeks or so. It doesn't help the tangled mess of the side hill and back area. I just deal with it. Living in the tropics...summer all year around...you accept that it's a jungle out there-especially if no one lives around...or walks past. (My wild bunch of dogs would go crazy it we had people walking around.)I've gotton accustomed to the jungle but really appreciate the trimmed yard! But your flowers are so beautiful...it makes your corner a magical place of change and discovery. Happy fall!

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  8. I look forward to winter for hibernation!! In winter there is a privacy about it which no other season gives you...In spring, summer , and fall people sort of have open season on each other; only in winter, in the country, can you have longer quiet stretches, when you can savor belonging to yourself~~~Ruth Stout. This is my idea of winter...some might not agree.

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  9. I always wonder why there are mountains of fertilizers and things that promise us the color of lush green in stores.. And then the next aisle has things to destroy it. I say: go with it. Love it, and hide behind the curtains of green. I have always wanted to live near a rain forest. Green is God's favorite color, and he has blessed you and me with canopies of it. Let's go out and roll in it...like Miss Winnie D.

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