Autumn Bounty

While out at the apple orchards, buying apples, we came across these odd looking pink banana squash, which I have never seen before.  Very large and quite amazing. At only $5.00 each, I am kicking myself for not buying one to carve up for Halloween.  Oh well, next year!

There is something so jolly about the bright orangeness of traditional pumpkins though. They truly are one of the most powerful symbols of Halloween, along with witches and black cats.

Mont Saint-Hilaire in its Autumn Finery

There is nothing nicer in the Autumn, than to hike up to the top of Mont Saint-Hilaire, a place that holds so many childhood memories for me. Just before you hit the highest peak, called the Sugar Loaf, if you turn around at a certain point on the trail, then you get a great view of Lac Hertel.

At the top, if the day is clear, you get a perfect view of the region and the Richelieu River.

Once down again, you can take a side trail to the picturesque Lac Hertel.

On this particular day there was a group of about six artists painting the scene in watercolours and oils.

And who could blame them? No matter which way you turn, the scenery is a picture.

Aged to Perfection

It is apple season once again.  Stopping off at a farmer's orchard to buy some MacIntosh apples, I was quickly drawn to this pile of apple baskets, their paint faded to lovely pastel shades.

The worn old crates have been softened  with age to a gorgeous patina. Evidently still very much in use.

November, Up Close

Having focussed for the past several days on the lovely landscapes November has given us this year, I thought it was time I turned my attention to what nature has to offer up-close.

Bringing the camera in close to capture the radiance of a single leaf,


or even closer to reveal the pattern on a leaf, I am reminded once again of all the beauty that surrounds us if we only take the time to open our eyes and see all that is before us.


There is also the delicate fragility of leaves, transparent in the sunshine, a reminder of the transience nature of all living things.


A gentle fluttering as the wind rustles the leaves, threatening to detach the stems from their source.


All we can do is pause to catch the moment, to take in all these miraculous details and store them for the days ahead.

November in Strathcona Park

One of the prettiest parks in Ottawa is Strathcona Park in Sandy Hill, with its magnificent fountain and hilly setting beside the Rideau River.


I had noticed back at the beginning of October that the change of season seemed to be running a little late. There was just something about the way the leaves were looking, their colours weren't turning when they normally would, and then once they did... the bright oranges and reds that you usually see seemed in short supply. 


It is amazing that here we are approaching the middle of November and there are still leaves on some trees, making it seem more like October. I am grateful to find the autumn days stretching out before us and to have the extra colour around to lead us into December.

November's Colour Palette

At the river's edge, the blues of the water contrast with the warm browns of the grasses, producing a pleasing palette of colour for this time of year. November is usually filled with greys.


This year, the sunshine continues to provide warm colour combinations to please the eye.

Go Softly, November

One of the lovely things about November, among all the doom and gloom of grey skies and shortened days, is the softness of the landscapes.


As colour is stripped from view, it is easier to discern the multiple textures that make up the endless varieties of grasses, bushes and plants that are left behind.


There is a gentle lightness to the whole... a soft fluffiness that floats on the wind.


Go softly, November.

Fall Bulbs, Spring Flowers

How incredible that these small bulbs, only an inch wide, will become 16-inch tall stems of double narcissus with beautiful ruffly petals in sunny yellow, cream and peach. An awe-inspiring miracle in each tiny bulb.

If you haven't yet planted any spring bulbs, there is still time. A half an hour spent planting now will bring weeks of beauty to enjoy in the spring.

Autumn's Splendor

I'm off to Montreal tomorrow for the weekend. With my blissful holiday in England fading into the background and life's realities taking hold once more, I could use a pick-me-up. Montreal's charm is the perfect antidote. Life has been so busy, I feel that September and October have flashed past me without my being able to take in all of autumn's splendor. But there's still time to remedy that. So off I will go tomorrow morning to stroll about the city's streets reintroducing myself to autumn, stopping for coffee at a cafe, shopping at some of the unique boutiques, taking in an exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts, and enjoying countless other special moments as they arise.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. There are so many things to be thankful for, including the vivid beauty of these sunflowers and the saturated colour of their petals.

Thanksgiving Centrepiece

Here, just in time for Thanksgiving, is a quick and easy flower centerpiece that doesn't take up much room.

What You'll Need:
1. A small pumpkin. Mini or pie pumpkins are ideal.

2. A glass, small enough to fit inside the pumpkin. Shot glasses work well for very small pumpkins.

3. A selection of autumn flowers.


Directions
1. Cut the lid from the pumpkin.


2. Scoop out the seeds.

3. Arrange flowers in a water-filled glass.

4. Place the glass and flowers into the pumpkin.

5. Re-arrange the flowers as necessary.

A grouping of three small arrangements looks great, or use very small pumpkins so that each person can have their own arrangement.

Welcome Autumn

The English gardener who created this bonneted charmer with golden curls, not only displayed their creativity but a sense of humour as well when they left this transformed sunflower growing in the garden to greet passers-by.

The colder weather that arrived with October confirms that autumn is indeed here. The season heralds the start of all that October brings - gourds and pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and textures; harvest fairs in the countryside; and the sensory overload that is to come, first hinted at with the turning of foliage. The smell of fires crackling in the fireplace and dried leaves underfoot, the sight and sounds of honking geese flying in formation overhead, the taste and scent of ginger and cinnamon that seems to find its way into autumn recipes. All these and more add up to this wonderfully evocative season we call autumn.

Sidewalk Art

Nature is the artist in these sidewalk leaf transfers.

Autumn Splendor

With Halloween over for another year it was time to change the displays in the two urns on our front step. I collected various dried plants for their interesting textures and then added in some branches from my smoke bush for their gorgeous burgundy colour. Everything was free for the picking, except for the willow branches at the centre, but because I had bought those several years ago for previous displays, this year's Autumn display cost me nothing. Even the pumpkin is being re-used. Its Halloween face has been hidden from view by turning it around. What kind of Autumn splendor can you create from plant material around you?

Autumn Arrangement # 3

Thought I'd try out another fall arrangement using the wee orange chair I found at a thrift shop for $5.00 back in September and talked about in my post of September 25th. The blue fence continues to be an interesting backdrop for my arrangements, from cafe tables set with summer drinks or tea to autumn displays. It will be interesting to see how it looks in the winter with snow. Since we just painted the fence this summer, we haven't experienced this new colour in all seasons yet, and the jury is out as far as I am concerned. Not sure if it will remain blue, or perhaps this particualr shade of blue, more than short term. We'll see.

Warty White Pumpkin

Such an odd pumpkin! This one, larger than a basketball, was grown by a dear friend from a package of mixed seeds. The variety wasn’t marked so she has no idea of its name. So far all I can find it referred to as is a warty white pumpkin. But what a great Halloween pumpkin it makes. Just look at that surface. It reminds me of my chenille crocheted wash cloth. Now that I think about it, in colour and texture, the rind actually looks more like peanut shells. I wonder how long it will be before this type of pumpkin is for sale at the local grocery store?

An Autumn Encounter

Look who came to land on my thrift shop Ralph Lauren sheets when I was taking them off the clothesline! His gorgeous red tail blended in so perfectly, you would have thought that I had chosen him for just that reason. But no, his visit was purely a delightful surprise. And notice how the sheet’s pattern shows through his wings, an indication of just how transparent they are. A fleeting but beautiful encounter!