The Amber Light of Trees

The leaves have been spectacular the last two weeks, startling golds and crimsons waving in perfect blue afternoons. Even on the dull, rainy days like today some trees are still smoldering in the dim light. Fall is a season of changes, like any other season, but somehow more dramatic -a final flash and flare before winter sets in.

It's a quiet time for the garden. Time to tidy up the excesses of the summer, fix that hole in the fence, move some bulbs and get everything ready for a little rest before the Spring. Time to gather thoughts and take notes for next year. Only the parsnips remain in my vegetable garden, waiting for a good frost to bring out their sweetness.

Time to bake again, after months of fresh, cool foods and avoiding the heat of oven and stove. The markets are filled with ruddy pyramids of apples and the wonderfully quirky shapes of winter squash. It is time again for heady spices to warm the house on a chilly evening. There is a delicate and fleeting perfection in this time of year. The anticipation of Thanksgiving and holidays to come is not yet tainted by reality, all the pressures and disappointments of those holidays. Oh, what joy, to come back from a long walk in brisk wood to a cozy house full of baking smells and the warmth of family and friends.