Glimmer #14: I Can See Clearly Now

Like most people I know, I find it difficult to get excited about the fall. I am no fan of the cold, and the shortness of the days weighs on me. Most of all, I dislike the cold months because there is so little color.

In summer I am surrounded by green. There are many acres of woodland behind our house, and every shade of green is out there. I love to sit on the deck and look out into the woods, seeing layer upon layer of leaves, needles, grasses, and ferns. Everything is lush and crowded; we can only see a few feet into the woods. Deer and foxes pass through but we only know it from the barking of our dogs.

But when the leaves fall, everything is different. The woods are now just muted shades of gray and brown. Gray bark against gray stone against the dull brown of dead leaves. It’s boring and depressing.

Today I stood on the deck in the chill wind. I looked out into the woods and it struck me that this is the only time of year when I can see the evidence of the past out there. Our property line is marked by old stone walls, with sections fallen and most of it topped with moss. Trees have grown up through the walls over the years.

Walking through the woods, we can see piles of old stones where walls and buildings have fallen. There are a few spots where we think we see the markings of old foundations.