october

October

by Robert Frost

O hushed October morning mild,
Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
To-morrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
To-morrow they may form and go.
O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow,
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know;
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away;
Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if they were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—
For the grapes' sake along the wall.

October will be over befor we know it. Take some time to capture the colors and share them with us here!

letting go

Each fall, I watch as the weather cools off and the ground becomes littered with yellows, browns, oranges and reds. The trees shed their leaves and turn their attention inward, gathering the energy released by the decomposing leaves and transforming it into the new beginnings of spring.

Just as the trees must release their old leaves to make room for new ones, we must let go of things in our lives that no longer serve us, especially our fears, in order to make room for new possibilities. It can be a difficult process, though. Even when I know my fears are not serving me, I wrap myself in them like a cozy, old sweater because I have grown comfortable with them.

When I don't know where to start, I pick one fear and name it. By starting with just one fear and giving it a name, I make it into something more manageable – something I can release, taking the bits of knowledge about myself that I find within it and transforming them into something new. Just as trees lose one leaf at a time, we can choose one fear at a time and let go of it. 

What are you letting go of this fall? How are you making space for the new leaves that will appear in your life next spring?

Gennifer Carragher was raised on the beach, grew up in the woods and now spends her days capturing the magic of these places with her camera and sharing her photo adventures on her blog. If you love fall as much as she does, consider joining her in Embracing Fall, her newest e-course.

weekending by Susan Licht

they come by bus, by car,
by foot, by bike

by stroller, and by wheelchair

the young and the old

to shop, to eat

to smell the flowers,

the rich aroma of roasted coffees

and freshly baked breads

 

to take advantage of all that freshly harvested goodness

or just to stop and chat with neighbors and friends

a little slice of life

a celebration of community

-Susan Licht

(Soonie2)

Susan Licht shoots images like this with her Nikon D3000 and spends her weekends outdoors as much as possible, be it exploring the streets of Boston, walking the beaches of Cape Cod or hiking the many conservation trails in and around her hometown.

You can find her on her website Licht Years. 

Are there any farmers markets or pumpkin patches in your weekend plans?

Today's prompt: mug

Sunday's prompt: apples

weekending by annette gendler

Annette Gendler shares her images from a recent weekend visit to Shakertown at Pleasanthill, Kentucky. She writes: "It was a truly glorious fall day spent in the picturesque heart of Bluegrass country."

You can find more on her website AnnetteGendler.com.

What kind of fall fun do you have planned this weekend?

Todays prompt: path

Sundays prompt : autumn

taste

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.” -Henry David Thoreau

This is the time of year when the weather begins to turn and with that, the food and drink we serve up follows suit. Is it me, or does this time of year beg for soups, stews, pastas, and bread? Everything warm, rustic, and deeply satisfying. Autumn is officially upon us. Today, tell the story of what you taste this time of year and share it with us. In other words, make our mouth’s water!