Saturday, October 26, 2013

Onwards and upwards to the holiday season.



Autumn has come into its fullness in DC. The leaves are changing color, also starting to fall in heaps and piles. The leaves will continue to fall until New Year's Day, the last leaf collection date in the city. Can you believe it? Yeah! The Sweeping of the Leaves is a daily routine between October and January in this leafy, tree filled city. I love trees. Also I love sweeping leaves, so for me, it is well worth it.

Fall and spring are the big seasons in the midatlantic. Both go on and on. And on. And a bit longer still. Where I grew up, in the American midwest, summer and winter prevail with short but spectacular springs and falls. But here, spring is a gaudy parade that lasts for months. Fall is vivid, gorgeous, wrenching, and lengthy. This is one major reason why I live here. I love spring and fall!

Today was beautiful. I'm back to good health, hence I worked most of the day, but did pop out long enough to notice the sparkling air, the breathtaking blue of the sky. The light was incredible today, both gold and silver and pure as snow. Everything looks beautiful in that kind of light. I took several dozen pictures in a relatively short period of time.



Life is settling down in DC at last. The shutdown was a rift in time/space that was not only challenging as it was happening, but left a choppy energy in its wake. But I think we're back to what we call normal. What is normal? I've never been able to grasp the concept.

Whatever it is, I believe we have achieved it, just in time for the holiday season. Whew.

Life is good, and I am grateful. Shalom.




4 comments:

ellen abbott said...

We're also having spectacular weather. We may not get the changing color of leaves very much but we do get glorious weather.

Steve Reed said...

The shutdown WAS a weird period, wasn't it?! I still feel a bit burned by it all, a bit wrung out. And I'm on the other side of the ocean!

Reya Mellicker said...

Burned and wrung out - oh yeah.

Anonymous said...

Glad you are feeling better and enjoying your Autumn season. I always like to travel in Autumn, the crispness and slightly chilly edge gives energy and purpose.
The shutdown was an interesting political exercise to observe from here on the other side of the world -politically, we are still getting used to our new Prime Minister (at the moment in Afghanistan preparing for the Australian troops eventual withdrawal). It seems Australians feel we have given enough to a lost cause, sullen acceptance by the Afghanistan soldiers reluctant for instruction and a still-strong Taliban presence regardless. That war has been going for twelve years now!
Not many Autumn leaves falling in the deserts of Afghanistan Reya - lets wish for our overseas forces to come home and enjoy the beauty of Fall again.