Sunday, October 11, 2009

Sunny autumn days are for spending time outdoors, attending your favourite fall festival, getting lost in the spectrum of colours above and below, gathering the last yield from your summer vegetable garden and preparing yourself and your environment for the cold winter to come.

This weekend we stepped out under the sunny skies of Ohio.




The Yellow Springs Street Fair offers one of the most colourful events you will ever experience this side of the US: beautifully rich handcrafted goods brought to you by colourful individuals happy to share their passion for good quality products produced in socially and environmentally responsible ways. Every visit to this street fair leaves us feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

At home it was time to walk around the yard, picking up the summer toys and putting them away in storage. We also tended to our garden and started to reorganise the garage in the hope that we can eventually fit two cars, a ride-on lawnmower, and a boat together with all the garden implements, bikes, wood and tools in it. Richard has a plan and as long as Rowan allows him to put things away once and for all, I think we might be able to do it before winter comes.

We also had some tomato plants to tend to. It is really hard to spot them while they are all still green which makes it extra fun when you finally find them. "There it is!" Rowan shouts excitedly as he points and grabs at the unripened tomatoes. Now we just need to figure out what to do with them. Fried green tomatoes comes to mind or perhaps a green tomato chutney will be nice too.

As we walk around our garden the cool air reminds us of colder days to come and encourages us to reflect on all the warm and wonderful times we got to spend together in our garden and even though winter offers a warmth and coziness of it's own, we cannot help but feel a little bit sad about all the time that has passed within the blink of an eye.

The tree we planted for my mother at the time of her passing has undergone a tremendous transformation. It has been almost four months since we rooted it in that very special place and over the last two weeks we have seen it slowly change colour from green to orange and finally a deep scarlet red. Being witness to the change of the seasons is quite incredible. It is as if the passage of time is being painted right in front of you. Time passes. Life moves on. You heal. You love and you laugh.

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7 comments:

  1. "Time passes, Life moves on. You Heal. You love and you laugh,"..........
    Scheew........Beautifully said Elaine!!!
    May I use the line in my book?
    sundeep

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  2. That tree looks incredible, sooo pretty. Think about using it's leaves for crafts, paint them and use them as stamps, take them to pottery class and make imprints for small bowls, vases, and stuff...

    did you know, that tomatoes turn red, if you put them in a cabinet and leave them there?
    Anke

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  3. What a happy child Rowan is, to grow up in a fantastic place like that with only love surrounding him. In each photo i can see his joy and his feeling of belonging.

    Elaine, i am sad that i am not there to see him grow and to make that connection, but to have found this blog has made me content and happy, for i am seeing him grow and i will experience everything with him, thanks to you and Richard.

    I miss you truely
    Madelein

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  4. Hi all!

    Sundeep, you know you are going to have to tell me more about this book that you are writing. I am sure it is going to be great. As for using my words, well, sure! What a compliment that would be.

    Anke, great ideas about the leaves.I didn't even think of it. They would make some pretty cool Christmas cards too! As for the green tomatoes... I thought they might be a little too fleshy and not juicy enough, what do you think?

    Madelein, what a lovely surprise hearing from you. I am so happy that you are also able to watch Rowan grow even if it is through the use of technology. Hope all is well with you and the family. Hopefully we will get to see you in December.

    Much love to all, Elaine.

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  5. I always love your pictures and you captured some more of my feelings about autumn. Very nice.

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  6. I would just pick the bigger tomatoes and see what happens... ANke

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  7. It's too beautiful - 4 months have passed so quickly - wish the healing part would come sooner :) but we will carry on living, loving and laughing as mom would have wanted it!
    I take it these spectacular photos are compliments of your new fancy camera?

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