Flaming Tree on an Autumn Morning

Up early a few days ago on a brilliant autumn morning, I noticed one of our sweet gum trees ablaze with the sunrise. It looked like a torch against the blue sky all lit up with the morning rays.

The curious thing about this tree is that it still has most of its leaves. You can see in the photo there are similar trees on either side of it that have lost all but a few of their leaves. Three trees...all the same kind....all planted at the same time.....one decides to keep its leaves. Curious.

"The autumn leaf which glows gold or red, has in it only the material which the tree can no longer use. It is a mistake to believe that the frost causes the brilliant colors of autumn foliage, they are caused by the natural old age and death of the leaves-and where is there to be found old age and death more beautiful? When the leaf assumes its bright colors, it is making ready to depart from the tree; a thin, corky layer is being developed between the petiole and the twig, and when this is perfected,  the leaf drops from its own weight or the touch of  the slightest breeze."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 622

Here is another tree that is planted on the side of our house and it is amazingly tall and colorful. The birds like to sit in this tree and sing in the summer time but now they are mostly gone.

I spotted a house sparrow in this tree off the side of our deck. The sparrows are regular visitors to our feeders and stick around the whole year. This one seemed to be enjoying the sunrise.

I enjoy a good sunrise myself.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

December World - Fragrance

Lavender in December-Still Fragrant

Our December World still has a fragrance. I stepped out the front door and down the steps and out of habit I reached to touch the lavender next to the stairway. Running my hand along the leaves and then placing my hand up to my face, I smell a summer smell. The leaves this time of year are a silvery-gray-green but they hold a sweet lavender smell that I adore.

Rosemary

My eyes started looking for other things that might have fragrance and I spotted my new rosemary plants up by the birdfeeder. They still have a few purple blossoms on the ends and as I kneel to take a photo or two I spot a bee buzzing near-by! I am surprised.

Violet

Around the corner and back to the back steps I spot my favorite cold weather fragrant flower...the violet. There are just a few starting to bloom but each flower holds a potent gift of violet goodness. Besides....who can resist a purple flower?

Oregano-Still a few leaves to pluck and bring up to the kitchen.

My garden is pretty much sleeping for the winter but tucked into Mr. B's box are a few herbs and these give a fragrance to winter as well. He has thyme, oregano, and chives all hanging in there despite our cold temperatures.

Peas late in the season

I notice that the peas we tucked in the box a few months ago have woke up and are growing. It will be interesting to see if they continue to grow.

Garden box and my leaf pile.

The rest of the garden is pretty much done and the pile of leaves there in the background will soon be spread over the remaining boxes as a nice winter blanket. The smell of the leaves as they decay is rich and potent, ever promising to protect the few plants that are left for the winter and then to enrich the soil when we till them under in the spring.

So there you have our fragrant December World....perhaps you have some smell that reminds of the coming winter. I encourage you to open your sense of smell this month and see if you can discover some odor to enjoy. Wood smoke? Pine boughs?

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Thanks to Palmy from Mens Sana who sent me a link to her fragrance entry....you will need to translate if you don't speak Italian.