On my walk yesterday I noticed that the pavements had been cleared of all the fallen autumn leaves, as frost can make it a very slippery slope otherwise. The trees are almost bare, save those few oak leaves hanging on defiantly. Ironically, these were the first to begin to shed their leaves, and perhaps now regret having started the onset of winter! It was a very cold day – I felt the chill piercing my face like sharp, icy needles . The bare silhouettes of the trees against a grey sky had a beauty of their own, if a rather solemn and sombre one. The silence that the once chirping birds have left behind hangs heavily in the air. There was a strong feeling of something enormous waiting just round the corner....
All this makes me reflect on the autumn just gone by, was it only a few days ago? Of the many facets of the weather, autumn strikes me as a vibrant and bright mother, aging gracefully. She knows there's trouble ahead for her offspring, and tries to ward it off for as long as she possibly can (she reminds me of my own mother - who has aged gracefully, and who always makes many delicacies for me to enjoy before I depart at the end of my annual visits). The leaves turn into bright and beautiful colours - and even a drive along the motorway is suddenly a glorious experience. As the land here is undulating, I always hold my breath on an upward climb, as the downward slope is sure to burst with colour - the golden, yellow, rust and bright red trees that border the motorways. Young saplings of many varieties of trees can be spotted all along the sides of the road, encased in metallic cylinders for support. These saplings will soon be transplanted onto the sides of other roads and motorways, thus ensuring not only the continuity of the flora but also many more dazzling displays to be enjoyed by generations to come. Autumn holds back the winter with as much strength as she can muster, holding on to the leaves that the mighty hand of winter tries to shake off . Alas, she ultimately gives in- for winter gets a helping hand from the gusty winds....but Autumn is not easily forgotten, and her loving attempts have left behind a warm glow in my heart, making me smile in remembrance, with gratitude and love.
