Season of Change

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
by Albert Camus

With summer's passing comes autumn. Reminding us that change is constant. As the fall season dazzles us with its flush of vibrant colors I am reminded that life is a cycle with no end. What dies will soon be reborn again into another shape, another form.

This past summer was not what I had hoped for in both the garden and in life outside of the garden gate. The weather was a challenge for even the most seasoned master gardener and for me the novice it was a time to learn and to be patience.



As summer ended with the passing of 2 people I loved dearly the garden became a metaphor for what I was experiencing in life. As the flowers began to fade so did the leaves on the trees - turning from a soft, subtle green to a crispy golden yellow. The vegetable garden brought forth its final bounty as the once lush vines of squash shriveled back into the earth.

For me autumn always brought me a tinge of sadness. Even with its beauty I was always reminded that the long, dark, cold winters of New England were just around the corner. But, this autumn I seem to have a new perspective. Happy to say goodbye to the trials of this past summer I'm looking forward to the clean slate that winter will bring. Cutting back the dead stems in the perennial bed and cleaning out the vegetable garden has been cathartic for me. This winter will provide a must needed respite as I look forward to a new day, a new year, a new spring.


For now I will relish in the crispness of the autumn air. I will enjoy the sounds of leaves crunching beneath my feet and the wafting scents of burning wood, harvested apples, and homemade pumpkin pie.



Instead of this being the end it will be the start of a new beginning. A spring of sorts in its own right as life sleeps for a while in preparation of its rebirth.