Wednesday, October 1, 2008

October

Smoke hangs like haze over harvested fields,
The gold of stubble, the brown of turned earth
And you walk under the red light of fall
The scent of fallen apples, the dust of threshed grain
There's the sharp, gentle chill of fall.
Here as we move into the shadows of autumn....
~a verse from the Autumn equinox~
~~~
This has been one of the longest summers I've spent since childhood.
the days were achingly beautiful under deep blue skies,
the sight of deer bringing their fawns to live in the fields.
15 pairs of ears and eyes
peeking up over the endless waves of wheat waving in the wind.
no sound but for the hum of crickets, the scent of hot sagebrush and juniper in the breeze
and meadowlarks darting from creek to nest.
the fields seemed to grow overnight, stretching towards the gold pink dawns
drinking up every bit of water we gave them, hot in the mid day sun
cool and wet at dusk.
every field of wheat, every leaf of fragrant tumbling mint and rows of
pungent garlic are harvested.
now safe and sound and under cover.
We sit and rest on the edge of the earth and watch the red sun going down over
mountains on fire.
The deer,now grown, walk gingerly through the stubbled wheat.
another season has passed.
and I am grateful that this summer has been as blue skied and never ending
as those summers we knew as children.

10 comments:

Katie said...

wow...you are such a wonderful writer ma...just full of the senses...I feel like I was standing there soaking it all in. Beautiful images!

cathypentonatelier said...

Just beautiful my dearest friend...Here the Spring warmth feels like it is turning into Summer which is a little scary but still crisp nights and pretty mornings of singing birds..... Luv Cathy xxxxxxx

Anonymous said...

Dear Christine,

With the picture, and your beautiful words, I felt as if I was sitting on the porch with you taking it all in.

Laura B.

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

Wow ... I felt as if I was there amongst that beauty and colour where here in Australia we are heading towards warm days filled with salt air where I am. After following your blog I have my own now, will be back. Blessings Dzintra Ingid

Lena said...

I've missed reading and seeing the ways that you so beautifully express yourself, and it makes me happy to see you here again, and to think of life on Deerfield Farm.

Dixie Redmond said...

How beautiful! I had a child-like summer, too, at the lake where I grew up.

Dixie

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Do you think that as we age we find ourselves more indulging in the beauty that surrounds us.
It is this simplicity of appreciation that envelopes us and we wish that time could stand still, but for a moment... as we reflect on the bounty laid before us.
xo Susan

Christine Crocker said...

thank you dear ladyes,

I'm so pleased that you all enjoy seeing and hearing about Deerfield.
I'm glad to share it with you.

This morning there is fresh snow covering Mt. Jefferson.
We had our first fire in the big fireplace on Saturday morning.
Me thinks that it is time to do some cooking on the hearth.
Baked apples in the dutch oven sounds so good to me.
won't you all come for a visit for baked apples and orange tea?

mistress crocker
Deerfield Farm

Nina Mason said...

Mistress Crocker:

What an idyllic and serene oasis you paint of Deerfield with your words! Drop in for a visit sometime. There's lots of new goodies to see as I prepare for a period craft show in Williamsburg on Grand Illumination weekend.

Nina Mason

FrenchGardenHouse said...

Just beautiful, I can see it and feel it through your words. Hope you are doing well, Mistress Crocker!
xo Lidy