Autumn Part Deux

Today the boy looked out the window and went "Oh!". Seems he finally noticed what I remarked on Monday, that mother nature noting my husband's industrious leaf removal dropped the remaining leaves on the nice clean lawn. He ran to the stairs to tell his father to get back to work because there were more leaves.

Such a difference as he grows more aware. First there were the moments of self awareness when the first short sleeves of spring would be pulled and pulled in an effort to make them long again. Then the track of the year by holidays. Now he sees the seasons and they are building their own meaning for him. Today it was in a coating of crunchy leaves over the back yard and along the length of the driveway.

Now even the maples in the back have started shedding their remaining golden coat. Joining the the tulip trees in their stark winter undress. The lone maple in front steadfastly refuses to fall in any sort of attractive fashion. Still green, eventually they will brown passing gold for perhaps the barest day. That will leave just the oaks clinging to their leaves high up their trunks for just as long as they please and the stupid bradford pear which will undoubtedly wait until the first snowfall.

And suddenly in greencamp, suburbia returns. During the summer it's easy to pretend. Surrounded by the green walls of our little forest we seem to be apart. But now the white picket fences and tarp covered woodpiles stand garish in our line of sight. This morning was a brief reprieve as the fog shrouded the neighbors and gave the forest depth again.