A rush of wind causes a flurry of leaves to lose their hold, letting go of their branches, and falling rather fast to the ground. A crisp rustling sound crescendos, then disappears, then crescendos again as wind gusts push the newly fallen leaves across the older compacted leaves the ground holds prisoner.The remaining dry leaves of the great red oak will hold fast until spring entices them to let go and sprinkle the ground in a blanket of crispness providing needed shelter from the approaching summer heat. For now, they all gently, then violently nudge each other as the wind ebbs and subsides through the branches causing a sound that reminds one of raindrops when making first contact with the ground at the beginning of a thunder storm.
The wind chime's music mingles with natures, and it is mesmerizing to just take in a deep breath and listen to creation as the morning doves bob their heads foraging among the fallen leaves. The Christmas ferns have shrunken a bit as they settle in for winter, but they will stay green as the tree leaves bunch up around them.
A bright red cardinal rests for a bit on a bare dogwood branch, then flies to the feeder. The dogwood has lost most of its leaves, but they fall to the ground while they still have red and gold highlights and the colors across the yard is as if it was Christmas time.
Dark-eyed juncos are beginning to fly in for winter, and a few have joined the doves in the garden, and one wants to linger forever in this fairy world until the brisk chill becomes deep cold as the sun is nearing the horizon. The arriving of winter is indeed a cruel yet beautiful intertwine of complexities that create dread and loving anticipation wrapped together as one in our lives.
