 |
| Purple berries |
As I go for a walk, I breathe in the fresh 
air of another beautiful, sunny day...all of a sudden the whole of UK has been presented with a surprise - a few sunny days, almost as if mother nature has realised she had missed us on her summer rounds and is trying to assuage her guilt by granting us these few days. Some of the flowering plants that were beginning to go into slumber have woken up, and are scrambling to make the most of this gift by putting out some of their last offerings...cheerful petunias poking their heads up again, the ladylike Fushias rising up elegantly. The brightly coloured cheeky Begonias grin with unabashed smugness, as if to say to their fellow plants, '..told you not to be in such a hurry...' . However, the sharp nip in the air and the changing colours around announce the quiet arrival of autumn. I love autumn, but her onset in itself is quite something. Creepers changing colours...some walls and fences are now smothered in a mass of red/rust/orange/maroon heart shaped leaves. Some creepers and climbers are covered in berries - orange, red, white, yellow...there are some new purple berries this year, I make a mental note to google this species, for the berries are really rich and vibrant in their colour. Some bushes are defiantly pushing autumn away - brave little rose buds, some that may never quite bloom...the petunias, pansies, fuschias, begonias , lobelias in hanging baskets riotously tumbling over each other, vying for the last of the attention for this year, both from the humans and the sun. The leaves of the mighty oak always seem to be the first to cave in, and almost as if giving up the battle too soon have begun to dry and fall. Some others age more gracefully - the Sumac now has its striking burgundy spikes of flowers competing with not just its stalks of beautiful green leaves, but also the dazzling orange and red ones of those that have changed their hue. Just how many beautiful colours can there be on one tree simultaneously?
The spirituality of nature hasn't been more evident than now - the has been, is and will be living side by side - in quiet, gentle, soothing harmony.
