There is a smell and sounds of the season. It is a rainy early fall day in the Berkshires.

Many leaves are off the trees so the sound of the rain is not muffled as it is in the summer but rather hard as it passes through the branches. The leaves that are still on the trees are no longer as sturdy and give way to the weight of the drops and bend or fall off.



The view has a definite grayness. Not foggy. The air is clear but the gray sky is so visible through the leafless trees that it changes the look completely. The smell of the rain on the leaves is woodsy and earthy.




As I walk in the yard in the morning, the rain is cool but not the refreshing feel of the summer rain. The feel of the rain and the leaves on my bare feet is odd. Wetter than rain on the grass, each leaf seems to be a dish collecting a puddle and some stick as I move.





I like the sounds and smells and feel of a rainy fall day, so different from the downpours of the summer or dampening quiet of snows. Each season is so unique and that is one of the many wonders.

At the end of this dead end road is the river. From the main road going by you'd never know this is here.

A quiet spot, except for the noise of the wind and at times when the water is high, the sound of the river. Across the bridge are railroad tracks and trails leading off into the woods.



Flower boxes flank the bridge, a nice wide bench on a ledge by the side to just sit and watch and be.

First Snow

It was actually snowing tonight!!! Fortunately just a dusting but good grief it is still only October. Some areas of New England could get a couple of inches or more this weekend. Luckily a ton and a half of pellets have been moved to the garage but I guess it is time to move the snow blower out. Groan!................

One of the reasons I like the Berkshires is the natural beauty that is so plentiful and so readily accessible. Of course given the primary topic of this blog, that statement is more than obvious.




These are pictures I took from the borders of our yard and the woods out back just wandering around for a few minutes. The air is so clear and the colors so bright.



A beautiful early fall day. The temperature in the mid 50 is cool enough for long sleeves yet the sun bright enough for sun glasses. The woods are thinning out as the nights are getting cooler. The leaves dropping from the bushes and trees open up views that have been hidden since late spring.



The sound of shots at dawn and dusk indicate that hunting season ( I don't know which) has begun making some of the woods off limits. A few bears have been spotted wandering down the street at night on their way back to the deeper woods of the forests. The night winds seem stronger, which usually is the case that these start thinning the trees out more and filling the yard with leaves. Not something I look forward to and one of the down sides of living near the woods. Though if I am fortunate, the strong winds will make my job a little easier and relocate some of the leaves to where I don't need to deal with them.

To me there is something very beautiful about a fog. Especially when, such as this, the sun is coming through in some parts and you can see the highlights of what is hidden.

This is Laurel Lake. I have posted pictures of it many times before as it is close to home and on the main north south road in the Berkshires. A favorite kayaking spot except for this summer as it has been closed off for boating due to an infestation of zebra mussels. The concern is that tiny baby mussels will adhere to any boat in the lake and will then contaminate the next body of water it visits.


These little mussels are also hidden from most as it much of the lake in this fog.


Today I had an experience that warmed my heart and lightened my soul. People can sometimes be amazing in their understanding and compassion and in being just genuinely good; all in a very understated and normal way. I have experienced this several times but today was the most recent and it makes me smile.

Joy and peace to all who visit here.

Understanding

As I continue to add days to this life I am more fully understanding that beyond taking care of the basics, a large part of our journey is "understanding":




understanding ourselves, understanding others, and being willing to continually revise that understanding throughout our lives as we learn and observe and discover....



and to be ok that this is a journey and to give ourselves permission to revise. A life is not totally written until it is over.