~ by Vanessa Parry
A flat blue sky of winter’s promise forms a backdrop to leaves glowing in shades of precious metal… gold, bronze, brass, and copper.
Autumn sings of rich colours, glowing warmer than any of summers brilliant clamour; one final fling before fading into winter’s monochrome landscape. It’s crystal sharp mornings tease sinus’ and fills lungs with the dark musk of fallen leaves and damp earth.
Skies switch in a constant daily dance so that copper glows against sharp blue sky, then flickers to eighteen carat gold against pewter grey. Warm gold of summer sun fades, in steady increment, to the paler platinum of winter.
Plump ruby berries blush in hedgerows, still clinging to late summer’s deep green verdure, but nature draws breath to glide downward, into the long rest of winter. Chestnut and ash, oak and beech gently let slip their Jacobs coat, or wild gales snatch the fabric from their grasp, swirling it in flirtatious waltz, before releasing it to warm damp earth.
All seasons form an arc upon the circle drawn by a Creator’s sure hand. Autumn’s leaves fall to earth. Winter frosts break them down to merge with soil and seed. Sun’s return awakens them, in Spring showers, to fruit and flourish in Summer’s warmth.
The eternal cycle rotates beneath God’s gently stirring finger, no leaf falling without his loving regard.