Tag: Autumn

WALKING IN OCTOBER

Posted in Books, Poetry6 Comments

Walking in October

There, clouds riding high
in a brilliant blue, blue sky.
Further along black birds cluster,
feathers flap with wicked bluster.
A shedding tree bares its limbs,
dropping leaves like floating gems.

A pumpkin here, scarecrow there,
a ghostly presence to give a scare!
The air is fresh with a little bite,
wood smoke smells of fireplace alight.
Oh, the joy of an October walk,
listening to Mother Nature squawk and talk.

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This is Day 175 of my 365 day self-imposed poetry challenge, which will culminate at the end of April (poetry month) 2022. The photo is one I took today, which inspired, in part, Walking in October.
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I am an indie author of six books and two chap books of poetry. Check the BOOKS tab to find out more. Follow me at www.vandermeerbooks.com, https://www.facebook.com/vandermeerbooks, Amazon Author Central. I’m also a member of the Las Vegas Literary Salon, a group committed to sharing the work of local writers. Follow LVLS at lvnmlitsalon.org. Thanks for reading and sharing this post.

IN A FALL MOOD

Posted in Arts, Poetry1 Comment

Red Chile

CHILE NEW MEXICO

The aroma of
chile roasting warms my heart
conjuring autumn.

SQUIRRELY

The squirrel is busy,
so industrious!
Running about, gathering…
what?
It can’t be nuts,
unless it’s pinon,
we have a lot
of that around.
Our shade trees are elms,
not oaks,
the Chinese variety.
They’ve nearly lived out
their life spans,
with crusty bark and spindly limbs
subject to fracture
when autumn winds blow.
But, the squirrel doesn’t mind,
scurrying about in a mad rush,
running up one tree and down another.
Its busyness is calming somehow,
nature welcoming fall
as the squirrel prepares
for a change in the weather,
as must we.

NESTING RESTING

An autumn nip
in the air
sends you snuggling
in your chair.

Pull in,
regroup,
make yourself
some Harvest Soup.

Be alone
by yourself,
take a book
from the shelf.

Time enough
to reconnect.
For now, sit awhile
and reflect.

Thank you for being a reader/subscriber. It is my goal to present informative, interesting, and creative content on this site. Your likes, shares, and comments are welcomed. I am an indie author of six books and two chapbooks of poetry. Check the BOOKS tab to find out more. Follow me at www.vandermeerbooks.com, https://www.facebook.com/vandermeerbooks, Amazon Author Central. I frequently write about my town, Las Vegas, N.M. Occasionally I use interesting and helpful content from other sources. I also invite guest posts. If you have a topic you would like to share, send to fsharon@msn. com.

The Last Leaf

Posted in Arts, Poetry

Fall Leaves

The last leaf clings
to a tree stripped bare
by a chill wind that sings
stirring fall-scented air.

The last leaf shakes
on a limb holding tight
as the sturdy tree quakes,
oh, what a sight!

The last leaf comes down,
spins, spins and whirls,
then settles gently upon the ground,
as more of autumn’s color unfurls.

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My New Mexico

Posted in essay, Inspiration, Poetry

Sun on Snow - Fall 2019

Autumn warm, the kind inside your heart
when you sit comfortably by the hearth.
A brisk and stormy day
when snow crystals come out to play.
The gentle swell of joy comes along
giving all of life a happy song.

Autumn warm, a stirring of leaves,
winter has surprises up its sleeves!
Take in those splashes of color bright,
iridescent in Autumn’s light.
The aroma of chile roasting and pumpkin pie
gives us all an Autumn high!

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Fade to fall

Posted in Arts, Poetry

Fade to fall

Morning glory leaves fade from green to gold,
blossoms little more than a drooping husk, something old,
yet not gone for good; seeds drop, spring will unfold
and bring back watercolor splendor in stories yet to be told.

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Mr. Ortega’s Horse

Posted in Inspiration2 Comments

Horse running in the fog

 

Magnificent in carriage,
royalty on four flashing hooves.
One with earth and sky,
restless, going from grazing
to galloping, just like that!
Eager for attention, yet shy.
Gliding across the field,
allied with the natural world.
Sailing with ease over golden grasses,
haughty and humble at the same time.
Optimal energy in every stride,
running into the wind
sturdy and proud,
elegance in the form of a horse.

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Photos: Vander Meer

Autumn’s Favor

Posted in Inspiration3 Comments

Chili Ristra

Come autumn, Mom couldn’t pass up
a roadside farm stand.
She had to stop, shop, buy.
The bright array of produce
– juicy apples
– plump pumpkins
– piquant chile peppers
– green and yellow squash
and more,
much better than any store.

Vibrant color,
mixed aromas of melons,
dirt from the field,
sawn wood of newly built
display stands, wobbly
yet able to bear the weight
of succulent bounty.
It made Mom grin,
and drew her in.

Chilly shopping in the open air.
Backdrop of plowed fields,
trees turning golden,
dropping leaves like confetti,
ristras glistening in the sun,
peppery red and lush,
green chilies turning in barrels
drenching the air
with the bouquet of fall,
a seasonal signal of winter’s call.

Good food
from the good earth,
to make into enchiladas,
tacos, rellanos,
beans with chicos,
cornbread sprinkled with green chile
and kernels of fresh corn.
The kitchen a place of comfort
where love settled in every nook
and came in waves from the cook.

Autumn’s favor comes
in memories
of home, warmed by
the heat of an oven
baking a surprise
fresh from the field.
Memories interwoven with time,
a yearning to go back
and see my mother’s smile,
if only for a little while.

 

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Image: clipart.com

Fabulous Fall!

Posted in Inspiration

HowdyFall is absolutely, positively my favorite time of year. I love the brisk chill of a windy day, the tumble of leaves from the trees, colors so stunning they bring tears to my eyes, and the amazing aromas of green chile roasting and cornbread baking in the oven.

I love harvest soup, pinto beans and red chile, fresh apple pie, and… Well, just about anything that brings autumn alive.

I suppose this love of fall is in part because I remember vividly fresh vegetables from my family’s garden being prepped for canning. I recall my mother insisting that we stop at every roadside vegetable stand to buy fresh chile and anything else we didn’t grow, so she could “put it up” for winter.

I don’t knoSittin' Prettyw of anyone who does this any more, at least not in the way my mom and grandmother did. I suppose I enjoyed it as much for the family time it provided as for the food carefully put away for use during the cold winter months.

There was a time in my life as a young adult when I followed these traditions, but that’s been a while ago. At 71 the idea of lining up Mason jars and filling them with harvest bounty just makes me tired.

I’ve been noticing on Facebook that several of my friends are showing photos of their yummy garden produce. It looks so lovely, bursting with life, and much prettier thaApplesn anything you can get in the store. One thing I did not inherit from my family tree ­– either side – was a green thumb. My dad and grandmother could pitch seed in the ground, hardly give it a second’s thought all through the summer, and end up with enough for us an plenty to share. My last attempt at a garden provided a lot of bounty… for the rabbits and deeGolden Grassr. Too much work for very little reward.

I admire anyone with the energy to tend a garden. I know the result has to be far healthier than anything available commercially. So hats off to all my gardening / canning / domestic goddess friends! Enjoy the fruits of your labors. You’ve earned it.

The photos in this post were taken the first day of fall. The collection of scaFading Flowers of Fallrecrows – and I admit it – a few silk sunflowers – brighten our day and say Happy Fall every time we come home. The apples are real. This is the largest production in five years or more. All our summer rain certainly helped. The flowers I think of as a curtsy to the season. They’re hanging on, but barely. The waving grass behind the house is turning a burnished gold. Collectively these images warm my heart and make me smile. What more can a person want?

Have a blessed and happy day, every day.