Murky Press
Picture

Clearing the fog

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact

9/17/2017

Watching Fall Arrive

0 Comments

Read Now
 
PictureA fall beauty along Mallard Point lake in October 2015. Photo by Rick Showalter.
I live on a small lake, and Sunday, amid an unexpected resurgence of summer, I took my lightweight kayak for a paddle around the lake’s perimeter. I was surprised to see how many trees along the shoreline were already displaying their fall colors. The sugar maples glowed with yellow and orange and dots of red, their robust hues shimmering in the water’s reflection. Black oaks were draped in burgundy. One black gum had completely surrendered to its autumn red and was already dropping its leaves. 

We’re having what feels like an odd transition from summer to fall. The lake swimming season ended unusually early, as we experienced a cool, rainy couple of weeks. And now fall appears eager to take the stage away from the sumptuous summer green.

As is frequently the case when I paddle on the lake, I saw two Great Blue Herons take flight and several Green Herons along the water’s edge. I’m fairly certain it was a Double-crested Cormorant that abandoned its spot among a large group of Canada Geese as I paddled by. All sizes of turtles were enjoying the sun’s rays on downed logs, and I nearly paddled over what appeared to be a family of two larger turtles and two smaller turtles swimming in a line right at the water’s surface. I returned home to find my yard covered with deer grazing on the new grass that emerged after recent rains.

I have always reveled in the natural world around me, but working on The Last Resort has made me pay even keener attention. I learned a lot from Pud and the notations he made in his journal. There are still trees and birds that I can’t identify, as well as a frustratingly large number of wildflowers. But I realize how fortunate I am to live in an area where I can be in a stand of woods or on the water in minutes. I can take refuge in nature in the blink of a doe’s eye. 

As we live among hurricanes and political tsunamis, it’s sometimes difficult to find simple ways to manage the erosion of peace and tranquility and civility in our world. I have one reliable way to cope. Like Pud, I just head outside.

Share

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

Details
    Picture

    Author

    Between the debilitating effects of age and the 24-hour crush of mind-bending news, my brain is frequently in a fog. Nonetheless. I'll occasionally try to sweep aside the ashy gray matter and shed some light on what's going on at Murky Press. Perhaps together we can also gain a little insight into how we can better use words to organize and clarify the world around us.

    Cheers! 
    Sallie Showalter, Murky Press 

    Archives

    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017

    Categories

    All
    Current Events
    Family
    Grief
    History
    Marketing
    Nature
    Next Train Out
    Publishing
    The Last Resort
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact