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Reflections of What the Autumn Season Means
Glorious fall colored leaves
Favorite Season of the Year
My favorite season has always been Autumn, although Spring would probably be my next favorite.
That being said...all times of the year have their own unique beauty and there are some advantages to each season of the year.
But in the fall season, Mother Nature pulls out her entire color palette and produces an absolute riot of colors!
Rich oranges to golden yellows to burnt umber's and shades of red arrest one's attention and one would need to be color blind not to notice the resplendent saturation of pigmented colors begging for one's attention.
Season of Fall
On one of my mother's and my vacation trips, we purposely planned to see family members up in Iowa and Illinois during the fall season so that in addition to visiting and getting to see our relatives in person, we could also view the beautiful colored autumn leaves that are so resplendent in that part of the country.
We were blessed with a great time on both accounts.
My dear aunt and uncle and my parents had celebrated a double wedding together in the month of October and it was also the month of my mother's birthday. My mother had lost my dad years earlier and never even thought of remarrying because as she said..."No one could ever compare to your dad."
When we drove from Bettendorf, Iowa to Peoria, Illinois to see my cousins for one of those vacation days, they had very nicely arranged to celebrate both occasions at the same time topped off with this nicely decorated cake. Thanks again Tom and Judi for that thoughtful gesture as well as the lovely accompanying meal that day.
The fall colors on top of the cake nicely matched what we were getting to view outdoors by way of the vibrantly tinged leaves and flowers that were gracing the landscapes at that time of year.
Autumn Colors
Back in Bettendorf one day, we were taken for a drive by my uncle who wished for us to see more of the spectacular autumn leaves. Our timing was perfect as they were at a peak of loveliness.
Not only in their yard and garden, but everywhere we drove the wooded areas were ablaze with vibrant colors. The days were cool and crisp and the skies above bright and sunny. Mother Nature had pulled out all of the stops on these fine Fall days to show us some of the best that she could offer.
Naturally I was happily snapping photographs. Around each bend of the road one scene after another seemed to beckon for attention. While my aunt and mother were happily chatting, my uncle patiently stopped the car over and over again pausing long enough for me to get "just one more picture."
I remain grateful for that day of show stopping scenery from Mother Nature, and the memories of that vacation spent with my aunt and uncle and cousins still warms my heart.
Part of the country where my mother and I were visiting on this vacation trip.
More Autumn Leaves
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeHarvest Time
My uncle's garden produce was coming to a close for the year because of the cooling temperatures and before long their basement would be loaded with green tomatoes picked before a freeze would damage them if left on the vine. Most would gradually ripen on the newspapers they had spread out on their basement flooring.
My uncle loves to garden and regularly grows vegetables to supply not only their needs, but also those of their grown kids when they visit from Illinois and Wisconsin. If the time of year is right, they can always count on returning home with garden produce. He also shares the bounty with neighbors and friends.
The apple trees in their backyard were heavily laden with fruit on the year of our visit and we returned home with bags and boxes filled with that luscious fruit. We had so much in fact that our first order of business was to make some homemade applesauce.
Ah yes...the fall season is bountiful in so many ways!
End of Summer
When one approaches the end of summer, one is rewarded with not only cooling temperatures in our part of the world, but also an abundance of a typical fall flower the chrysanthemum also simply known as mum plants.
Some well known gardens such as Bellingrath Gardens in Alabama, feature vast amounts of blooming mums in the fall season as does the seasonally decorated dome at Mitchell Park Garden Domes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Next door to my aunt and uncle's home in Iowa is a nice mixture of those fall flowers as can be seen in the photo below.
My mother, uncle and aunt with mum plants in foreground
Fireplaces
In the cooling temperatures of the fall season, depending upon where one lives and just how cold it gets, fireplaces can once again be enjoyed. Obviously the timing is earlier the further north one lives as compared to those of us living in the south such as we do in Houston, Texas.
Getting to wear the cashmere sweaters and other seasonal fall clothing is once again enjoyed.
Savory Stews
If one has put away the crock pot or other useful cooking utensils and has shunned the use of ovens in favor of outdoor grilling, the fall season gives us more reason to start spending a bit more time indoors.
The cooler temperatures make one think of warm hearty soups and perhaps making some savory stews to warm the body and soul.
Holiday Gatherings
This is the time of year that one also starts looking forward to more holiday gatherings with family and friends.
The month of October brings on thoughts of the carving of pumpkins and Halloween which is soon followed by Thanksgiving gatherings in November and Christmas festivities in December for many folks.
It can be a stressful time of year, but also fun if the purpose of savoring the time with family and friends is the prime focus which of course it should be.
Reflections of Autumn
Obviously so much more could be said about this wonderful time of year. Thinking about walking in the woods on a soft layer of just fallen leaves or watching squirrels bury their cache of acorns or looking up in the sky at migrating birds heading south for the winter, this and more brings back thoughts of autumn.
What besides the already mentioned harvest time, warm colors, fireplaces and hearty and savory stews makes you think of autumn? Please leave comments below if you also like this time of year and have other thoughts and memories. Thanks!
What is your favorite time of year?
© 2012 Peggy Woods
Comments are welcomed!
Nature is at its colorful best in Autumn and these lovely pictures are a lovely proof. Thank you for sharing.
Lovely images of Autumn and its colours thanks Peggy.
The season when comfort food begins again.
Autumn should arrive at any moment. A little too warm for it in some places right now, but it shouldn't be much longer now. Love the beautiful photos you have in this article. Posting to FB. Tried to post to Awesome HubPages but I'm told their server is down right now. Already have this pinned on my Yellow and Orange board.
Hi Peggy. I'm returning to this lovely post about Autumn. It's November 27 2017 and here in our magnificent forest the leaves are just beginning to show-off their array of colors before dropping to the ground.
Thanks once again for this hub filled with striking photos.
Audrey
Hi Peggy - I love Fall too. The mosquitoes are gone, the high heat is over and the small of fallen leaves is just wonderful. Ready for a walk in the sun today after a week of clouds and drizzle!
Yes, with rain or snow past a certain point there is not much to do about it.
Autumn really is just sort of anticipation...for the harvest, yes, and all the good things coming! The holidays, snow, quiet times and comfort foods, just to name a few.
I love it.
So 11" of rain is unusual Houston does get that level of rain from time to time?
Snapshots of the area, before/after, and the future, would seem a good basis for a Hub. It seems a good way to keep attention on the area.
Yes, it is a sad situation. Hopefully your friend, and others, will get better fortune in the future.
Hopefully the hurricane recovery is going well.
Yes, the autumn season is upon us again. Where I live it's a slow drift into cooler weather. That leaves, no pun intended, many days of good weather to enjoy the fall colors.
Beautiful images Peggy....I truly miss the fall seasonal change of color. We just do not get that here. We ARE having our first cool weather....how awesome it is.Hoping all is well with you and yours...Angels are on the way to you this evening ps
I began my morning admiring all the trees in our surrounding forest. The sun was just warm enough for me to bask in it's heat. As I sat on the deck sipping my morning ginger tea I sighed a "thank you" for the beauty before me.
Your hub is filled with Mother Nature's best. The photos are outstanding. Also, I love the mask made of feathers from your brother Bill's parrot.
Thank you Peggy.
I had one at McDonalds, I liked it. Yes, we tend to find things eventually :-)
They are already selling pumpkin lattes at McDonalds. Yes, it could be a case of the items in the store are there for so long it's easy to forget the date. Like that item in the house that's always around yet I can't seem to find it on the rare occassion I need it.
Yes, I understand what you are saying about Texas weather. After Halloween I seem to be behind the power curve. I end up asking "why am I not ready for Christmas?"
Great Fall pictures. Yes, I like the fall as well. These days the way the holidays are merged together it seems as if the season is one big holiday.
Fall is my favorite season too, Peggy. I guess it's because our summers here are so hot, especially late summer, so the cool down is always so welcomed. And the colors. Love your photos and the mask is awesome.
This article makes me long even more for the beautiful leaves up north -- and the cooler temperatures. We've had a couple of cool days, Wednesday and Thursday this week, and they're completely uncharacteristic for this time of year, but we're to be back to HOT again today, in the upper 90s.
I've noted that your hubs are disappearing . . .
Sharing this great hub and gorgeous photos again. Take care . . .
Your photos are stunning, Peggy. Thanks for putting this together and sharing your love of fall. It's my favorite, too.
Came back to pin this to my 'Yellow & Orange II' board. Our leaves have barely begun to turn up here and temps are still in the mid 80s most days. Beautiful photos here. Really enjoyed this article again. Sharing with followers.
We get some colored leaves here in Southern California during autumn but nowhere near the spectacles in the Midwest and Northeast. Someday, we'll take a car trip through New England to enjoy the fall foliage. Voting this Up and Beautiful.
I love autumn for the color it imparts to nature. These are some dazzingly colorful photos in here. Voted up, beautiful and shared and pinned.
Lovely HUB! I like autumn and winter best and avoid summer with all my heart and soul! Spring is a grab bag! This autumn I will have pumpkins all over my yard. The Methodist church gave me and my donkey a round bale of hay, 8 bales of straw and 25 organic pumpkins after their pumpkin patch event last year. Ray ate the hay, I composted the straw and stashed the pumpkins all around the yard covered with compost. Quite a few of them germinated and are sending hardy vines all over the yard! :D
Voted up, tweeted and awesome! :)
My favorite time use to be fall but after this long winter Spring will be my favorite. Your pictures are so nice. We have pretty color here in the fall. I love seeing the pumpkins all over. Voted up on your hub and shared.
Every season has its own color, however color of fall is amazing.
Beautiful! I love Autumn, too. At the moment I am looking forward to Spring, but when the Summertime is here, it is always nice to have relief from the heat, and see the color everywhere. Thanks for sharing this with us. I look forward to writing an article next Autumn, because I will be able to take wonderful Fall pictures.
Have a wonderful weekend!
What gorgeous photos of autumn leaves! When I lived in WI autumn was my favorite time of year too.
Here in Texas I like spring the best -- when we have one. I love the wildflowers and spring blossoms here in TX and all the lush green foliage that results from the rain. Best of all, when we have a long spring temperatures stay modest so a person can enjoy the outdoors; it's neither too hot nor too cold. By mid May, it's just too hot for me.
Great hub with lots of good information and fabulous photos! It's only 28 degrees F. here right now, and dropping, so that crackling fire sure looked good. The beef stew would be very yummy right about now too!
Voted you up, BAUI, gave you another 5 stars, and will share!
I love reading your stories about the family. How nice you were able to drive to the Midwest just in time to enjoy the autumn colors, and with your mom as well. I think fall is also my favorite time of year and I miss the changing of seasons since we dont' have them in Peru. When I think of autumn I think of apple cider and pumpkin pie spice, nippy air and warm wool sweaters, shorter days and warm fireplaces. I really enjoyed reading this hub and your reflections on fall.
Wish that we can experience all the seasons here in Singapore! This was a great tribute to the beauty of the season.....I would like to be able to use a fireplace but it's too hot here! Thanks for the write...am sharing and tweeting.
How nice that you were able to visit with your family! Your fall photos are really nice. Because the corners of Western NC, Upstate of SC, Eastern TN, and N. Georgia are our current stomping grounds I have to say that we enjoy all of the seasons now. We miss Florida's Atlantic Ocean and Gulf side, but oh how beautiful fall is up here!
While I certainly love the fall colors, my favorite time of the year is winter, especially after a new snow... so clean, so clear, so fresh....
You are a very unique and beautiful artist. Love the photos of all the colorful warm colors. Great photos of your family members. I have enjoyed reading your hub on the Reflections of Autumn. Beautiful and well presented hub.
Peggy, your pictures are beautiful. I especially like that you include family. Autumn is my favorite time of year also. All of those glorious colors and that crisp air. Up, beautiful and awesome.
Fabulous photos Peggy, the colours are simply beautiful.
Asking your uncle to stop the car for just one more photo made me smile - I can certainly relate to that! - I love taking photos of Autumn.
A wonderful read, thank you and voted up.
Incredible hub with awesome pictures that are extra special to me since I live in Florida so season changes are not that significant. It is the main reason I vacation fall and winter to be able to see these incredible blessings that you have captured so brilliantly. Voted all the ups and thank you.
Hi Peggy.The only problem with fall is that it is followed by Winter.When we lived in Illinois I liked to take follow the Mississippi River to the Minneapolis/St.Paul area in the fall.Didn't usually have time to stop much but the scenery was great on either side. Your pictures are very attractive.voted up, awesome beautiful and interesting. sharing with followers as well.
Your pictures are awesome, and your observations and description of your Fall experience gives a beautiful way to think about this season. Hearing Ferrante and Teicher play Falling Leaves brought back many memories.
So much beauty in all these wonderful colours;this one is just amazing as all your hubs are.
I vote up plus bookmark.
Thanks as always for sharing all these hubs and not one disappoints.
Take care and have a wonderful weekend.
Eddy.
Autumn is one of my favorite season beside winter (for the snow). I love when the leaves are falling down from the tree. It's one of the best gift from God. We must grateful when we met this season. I love all stunning pictures of autumn and the video as well. Good job, Peggy. Rated up (awesome, beautiful, interesting) and have a nice weekend!
Blessing,
I miss living in the midwest where the leaves turned color every fall. It was so beautiful to see the different colors, and then later to walk in them after they had fallen. Autumn Leaves is a song I have not heard in awhile. My sister used to play this on the piano and the trills of the keys always brought out the image of falling leaves. Thanks for sharing.
I really enjoyed this! Autumn is my favorite season. We live near the mountains and really love the gorgeous views--especially in fall. Your photos are really beautiful--you made me long to see those colorful leaves again. Voted up!
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