I’m not finished saying good-bye to October yet . . .
. . . I’m not. Ready, that is, to say good-bye to October. Or so long. Or “asta enchilada” or whatever. October was beautiful. Legendarily so, I think. There was so much color this year, and especially the yellows here in Nebraska were absolutely amazing. Yellow is not usually the most-ballyhooed color in the autumn spectrum. That goes to the showoff color, Red, of course. And then I think Oranges run a close second. But this year it wasn’t third place for the yellows, for once. I think the yellows stole the show. Isn’t it nice when the underdog wins now and then?
Do we really have to say good-bye to October so quickly? Couldn’t we add on a few more days or even a couple of weeks to this sublime month?
Only during October can you see sights like this:
Here are my two little prairie children and a favored rooster, at our church’s Trunk or Treat affair. I suspect that little Mack had a funny set to his mouth because he was trying to get a tootsie roll dislodged from his molar without bringing attention to himself.
Or this:
I mean, really! Who would want this to ever go away? Not. Me.
Or THIS:
This is pure October-cana.
In the spirit of lingering over saying “So long, my darling!” to October, here are a couple of my favorite poems written by one of my favorite poets, Dwaine Spieker, who lives here in Nebraska and just happens to be married to my baby sister, and the papa of four of the most beautiful children you’ve ever seen. He’s a great guy with a wry sense of humor and a beautiful way of putting words down on paper.
October = Gorgeousness!
YELLOW MAPLE
Back in the middle of October,
autumn reached up into the lampshade
of this tree and, with a click of frost,
turned the bulb on. Now the season,
under the soft light of falling leaves,
leans back in its old recliner beginning
a long novel of wind and gray weather.
Here’s another one:
IN OCTOBER
Who can blame the garden
for having pulled a quilt of frost
down from the closet, for curling up
and nodding off, even before
his work was really done for the year?
Lovely, eh? If you’d like to check out more of Dwaine’s poetry, here’s where you can pick up your own volume. Do it, do it! You’ll love his poems, Gentle Reader, I know you will! And think of what a delicious gift this would be for the poetic soul in your life!
And just because you’re my favorite, here’s one more:
BETWEEN ALL SOULS AND THANKSGIVING
Once again this year,
the garden of summer has gotten away from us,
overgrown with the weeds of our inattention.
Now the rusty mower of November
is cutting everything off clean.
Next year, we promise ourselves,
next year we’ll stay on top of things.
I’ll be linking this post up with Frugally Sustainable and also The Prairie Homestead, both which hold weekly blog hops. So much information! So much fun! Join in, won’t you?
18 thoughts on “I’m not finished saying good-bye to October yet . . .”
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Great plug for your brother in law, Dwaine…
And, the pictures were pretty entertaining, as well..
THanks Roy!
Such a nice post and beautiful pictures. I suppose being up north your October is equal to my November. In October we were still having temps in the 90’s in Texas. I’ll be singing this “song” at the end of this month, not wanting it to end and lead way to the bleak and cold Winter.
I’ll adjust to the fact that winter is coming one of these days, Kim . . .just not yet!
The subjects in your pictures certainly do catch my eye. Those children take the starring role beside the autumn vegetables. Keep looking at your photos while the season changes.
Will do, Francene!
Lovely pictures, as ever, and some lovely poetry to go with them! I think Autumn and Spring are probably more evocative than summer and winter, because they display in ways to make us think forwards and backwards at the same time.
October is a corker for the colours!
cheers,
Gordon
Gordo, it’s so great to hear from you again! Thanks for your comment, and I love the word “evocative.”
Hi Amy,
I hear ya on the not ready to say good-bye to October. All the leaves are brown now, but I did capture some amazingly gorgeous fall foilage pictures and my dahlias bloomed almost til the 3rd week of October. Today we have a mild forecast – mid 60’s and I long for the sweet sweet smell of October.
Peggy, it sounds like we’ll have a lovely weekend, so maybe I’ll get my garden cleaned up and plowed, after all. I’m never ready for winter, no matter what . . .!!
Your yellows were quite spectacular… I’m afraid reds won out here in NH this year. I’ve never seen them so brilliant! Dwaine’s poetry is really quite special… I particularly the lampshade of the Yellow Maple. How perfect! Thank you for sharing and hopefully November will prove to bring many positive surprises for you!
THank you for your kind wishes, Suerae. I hope your November is full of good things, too!
Our yellows won this year, except for the red of the burning bushes. I will bring more fall color to my blog tomorrow. I can’t let go of October, and neither can our trees. There are still enough trees with turned foliage on them. Unbelievable, for upstate New York!
Yay for yellows!
What a beautiful post Amy, you are right. October comes and goes in a flash and before you know it its Christmas ( and thanksgiving in the US) beautiful colours and here in Blighty it has been unseasonably warm – a real treat. Thanks for sharing the beautiful poems too.
I think it has been a gorgeous fall everywhere, Anita-Clare. I have to remind myself that winter will be pretty, too . . . . 🙁
What a lovely tribute to a great month. My baby girl’s birthday month and for us here in the Carolinas a welcome break after a long, hot summer!
Thanks so much!