While we are still very much in the throes of summertime, with bellies full of watermelon and tomatoes, and bodies covered with bug bites, I’ve been seeing glimmers of seasonal change in my surroundings…
The walnut trees are always the first to let go of their leaves for the season. The yellow leaves have been coming down in showers throughout the forest, even on still days, leaving the nut-laden branches exposed to the light. 
The light quality is changing as the earth tilts toward autumn. The intense rays of summer are subsiding a bit, the sting of the summer sun is lessening, and a cooler light fills the sky.
And the fruits of the season are shifting. The forest is beginning to be littered with nuts: hickories, walnuts, butternuts. Elderberries are ripening, paw paws are close. In the garden, the pumpkins and squash are maturing and showing hints of color. The Indian corn is standing so tall and proud. I am still relishing the season we are in, but this gradual seasonal shift towards autumn, my favorite season, excites me so.
radical farmwives
three friends, three farms, countless tales
I too love autumn and look forward to its return. There’s something about the smell of sun warmed fallen leaves that sends a thrill through my core.
I agree completely.
Autumn in AZ looks different so it’s not quite the same. For us it means over seeding your lawn with rye and planting winter veggies. Of course it’s supposed to be 110 today, so I can’t quite get in the mood for fall yet. I love the fall. It just never ends up LOOKING like fall here.
Yes, in my time of living in southern CA. the same thing was true… autumn was far different than in the eastern deciduous forests. That’s part of the reason I moved back into my “home” range, because I really missed the stronger seasonal changes that I grew up in and was accustomed to. But I’ve found in all of the places that I’ve lived, each season has it’s own unique offerings. There’s always something to celebrate!