October's colourful party is over and the cleanup has begun.
A spectacular party is over this year with gifts of warm, sunny days, and many opportunities for enjoying the outdoors.
We walked, we biked, we raked leaves, and I took many photos to inspire me when winter sets in for good.
Yes, this morning, in eastern Ontario, we saw our first snowflakes. Time to find gloves, scarves and boots because November is sure to bring more snow our way.
October party by George Cooper (American, 1840-1927)
October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came—
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
The Chestnuts came in yellow,
The Oaks in crimson dressed;
The lovely Misses Maple
In scarlet looked their best;
All balanced to their partners,
And gaily fluttered by;
The sight was like a rainbow
New fallen from the sky.
Then, in the rustic hollow,
At hide-and-seek they played,
The party closed at sundown,
And everybody stayed.
Professor Wind played louder;
They flew along the ground;
And then the party ended
In jolly "hands around."
Last crop of pumpkins are ready for market.
Some will decorate porches while others are cut up and made into muffins and pies, smoothies, cookies... Ahhh, fall baking is the best!
Over the years, I have learned that these huge pumpkins are too watery, and the best pumpkins for pies are the small, more expensive sugar pumpkins. I always have ziplock bags of pumpkins in my freezer.
Did you know that pumpkin is excellent for your canine friends? Rosie loves plain cooked pumpkin as much as we do.
Halloween closes October's party.
The party comes to an end with one last blast of fun for young and old. Now that we live in a neighbourhood with so many young families, our street here in Morris Village, Rockland, is very busy on Halloween night.
Last year was the first year after Covid that we were able to truly receive kids to our door. And did they come! we gave out well over 250 bags of chips or chocolate bars. The previous year, cars and kids went by and candies were handed out at a distance. I doubt we even saw 50 kids. I don't think we will ever forgot those years, much more frightening than all the ghosts and ghouls on any Halloween.
This pagoda below is used for wedding photos in Rockland-Clarence and is located near the old train station in Bourget. Citizens have "adopted" trees in the area and they decorate both the trees, usually at Christmas, and the pagoda always has some very creative decorations no matter the season.
The month always gifts me with many ideas for my art.
What a terrific post Louise, and I enjoyed that poem.
Thanks Sally. You will be enjoying spring colours while we continue to see some fall colours as the last few leaves cling to trees.
Such wonderful colors, artworks & photographs ~ thanks for sharing this beautiful season with us, Louise 🙂
I love fall but I feel like it is a short season lasting September and October and then, it feels like winter even though it’s still fall. Already this morning, we had snow covering the ground for the first time. It will melt but it feels like the beginning of winter.