Mornings are cold and crisp. Bushes and branches are edged in pink and gold. There are fallen acorns and beechnut hulls along the path, and everything is glistening and wet from night rains. Rafael loves to go on what he calls 'adventures,' off of the main path and up little cleared ways into the wooded hillside, where he 'works,' with a toy saw and hammer, mimicking the lumberjacks he sometimes sees in the forest. He also likes lifting heavy fallen branches and tossing them into a pile down in the ditch.
Sometimes Raffi's two cousins join us on our nature walks. Together we built a little stick-house, which we decided was either for a hedgehog or a gnome, and filled it with acorns and a walnut shell bowl with wild flowers for whoever moved in to eat. We caught a little golden frog and put him in the house, and he did stay there for a while (probably to hide from us). I always check up on our stick-house and add moss, ferns, and bark to the walls. We made big plans about constructing a whole village of stick houses before winter.
The forest smells strong of mushrooms but I've only found a few small ones so far. I really hope to finally discover and photograph some amanitas this year.
So now begins the most beautiful season of them all, and what always seems to feel the shortest: Autumn, gorgeous savory delicious misty colorful cozy autumn!
xoxoxo
I too love autumn: the morning fog, crisp days, colored leaves. It has begun here as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree that it seems that fall is the shortest season of the year. I love the cool crisp mornings, too.
ReplyDeleteRaffi is such a cutie!
Hugs,
Nellie
Rafael is already such a handsome young man. Is he learning both German and English? I assume you speak German as well? Just something I have wondered about you and how you have adjusted to life in your new country.
ReplyDeleteDawn, these are so gorgeous, as always. I love his little sweater!!!!!!! He's a little man already........
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness!!!!
xoxo
Joann
Autumn is my favourite season, so much to see and do in the woods and on the moors. Rafael has really grown hasn't he? No longer a baby but a grown up boy now.
ReplyDeleteOMG Raffi is growing so fast!
ReplyDeleteYou and Ramon made an adorable child! He is so precious. Your tiny little house reminded me of all the forts we made in the woods growing up. Such fun!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update from your world:),
Elise
Ooooh, how nice. It's still 90 degrees here every day (ugh) and I'm so anxious for it to be cool and crisp. Fall is still my favorite season and I want it to come now! I want to wear warm, cozy sweaters like little Raffi! So nice.
ReplyDeleteHi! I too love Fall! And, as much as I love the Christmas season, I still have to say that Autumn is probably my favorite season. I grew up in southern California and always longed for defined, changing seasons. Now, I live in North Carolina, and the changing colors of the leaves fill me with joy! This is my first time writing to you. I found your lovely blog through Susan Branch's blog. I have been following her blog for a few years now, and she always brings me such joy! And, now you do as well! I am so grateful. I was an international Flight Attendant based out of New York, and I have been home for a year and a half now because of a recurrence of cancer. I am doing great though! I chose an all natural approach to healing, and it's going really well, for which I'm so thankful. However, since it was the second time I had been diagnosed with cancer, I finally decided to take an early retirement from flying (I had flown for about 15 years!)as of May. So at this point I'm still at home with my sweet doggie Daisy (a Beagle/Jack Russel mix)continuing to heal, and enjoying the changing of the seasons. I do miss New York though, and also London, as London was mostly my regular route. Sorry this is long-winded, but after reading your blog a lot lately, I feel as though I'm really getting to know you, and I wanted to introduce myself to you! I will write more soon, and in the meantime, I too have to say that your little boy is so beautiful, and that I think you are beautiful too, both inside and out! Until next time, I will be joining you in enjoying the day by day arrival of Fall. Diedra :-)
ReplyDelete