October has long been a favorite month of mine. There is a crispness in the air which hints at the coming of winter, the afternoon sunlight has a muted look. The trees prepare for their long sleep, the growing season is over.
That picture above and the next two were snapped next to our local food emporium. I was just getting into my car when I noticed that the leaves were changing color and that many had already fallen.
Though you can't see it, there is a chain link fence just below the bottom edge of these photos. Behind your vantage point is a parking lot full of cars with people bustling about going in to shop, coming out with carts full of food. But from these pictures you'd never know.
Though I live in a small town, as such things are measured, it is twice the size of the town where I grew up. It can be noisy, even in the middle of the night, compared to some places I've been.
The place we stayed last weekend was about as rural as you can get, the nights there were calm and quiet.
The house was built back in the 1790s then refurbished in 2003, seven bedrooms, five baths, the house was chock full of family.
Saw deer grazing on the nearby hillsides twice, though I'm sure they were there every evening at around dusk. The views were spectacular, the company inside was comforting and warm.
We were graced with a full moon that weekend, seeing it rise over the Virginia hills was something to be forever remembered.
Late in the afternoon on Friday I could hear geese honking not far away, as I walked from the parking lot to the house, a skein of geese came up from the nearby pond, all in formation and gaining altitude as they headed out.
I had the chance to walk down to the pond with the senior granddaughter, she wanted to show me around as the kids had had more of a chance to explore. That little outbuilding has fishing rods, according to the brochure, the pond is stocked. What a marvelous place!
Monday morning as we prepared to leave, you could still see the rose petals on the walk from the wedding the day before.
As we packed up, I had the sudden, saddening thought that in all likelihood I would never see this beautiful place again. The place where my oldest daughter tied the knot with a very good man.
But I was privileged to have spent a long weekend there. I will always remember Guildford Farm.
Beauty is...
Yes, I am feeling better.
https://youtu.be/rrk0YouQbJA
ReplyDeleteit is my stance.., bricks and logs can make a shelter, but dear ones make it home
So true, and a beautiful song.
Deletealso the wonders of the internet: you can get a song describing your thoughts by simply googling it...
ReplyDeleteAmazing innit?
DeleteThe change of seasons in fall is much more dramatic than in spring [YMMV].
ReplyDeleteI still can’t make up my mind which I like best.
Thanks for the photos and your thoughts.
Well spring does bring the greening of things, life returning to the landscape and the promise of milder weather.
DeleteBoth are good in my book.
The place and memories will remain for all your family, especially the grandchildren. Well done event!
ReplyDeleteWell said WSF!
DeleteA beautiful place to start their life together. A young man I know from my son's old Scout Troop is now a wedding videographer. He posts pieces of them on social media to promote his business and the venues are usually stunning. Nuke's choice is as well. The significance of the farm surely enhances its beauty for you.
ReplyDeleteYes, the event was the thing.
DeleteThe nice thing, addressing your sadness at never seeing the venue again, is that you will. You can now visit nightly or in quiet moments. I do that a lot these days with places I've been to that I'll never physically be at (within reason) ever again.
ReplyDeleteLook at it this way, you'll always have a very positive weekend associated with that location. Can't beat that, not at all.
Been there all week.
DeleteHave to get real sometime, just not today.
As to October, yes, I feel it down here, too. There's a crispness and hidden coolness in many nights, a hint of chill, a touch of cold in the breezes even during the day sometimes. Wonderful. And the pine trees are doing their annual shed, so the wind is ever so much more musical through the trees.
ReplyDeleteBeauty is where we see it. The grassy patches at the apartment complex where Casa de Frijoles ended up after the great retreat of '17 has this small 'weed' in it that has the most exquisite white flowers, just gorgeous and so tiny. And other patches of yard have landscaping 'heather' in it, with little purple flowers against dark green leaves. And it seems I am the only one who sees this beauty. Which in a way is quite special for me. But oh so sad for those around me who don't see such beauty.
It's one of the reasons I patrol 'my' patch of the apartment grounds. Picking up branches and pine cones and depositing them in the leaf-covered beds, picking up trash, stomping down 'burn-outs' by the lawn guys' mowers. I even have one of those hand-held weed-cutting blades to trim back rampant weeds in between when the lawn people deign to run the trimmer. Hmmm. Strange. I do more for this place's lawn than I did in the later years at the place that was. Must be feeling better in the head-space.
Now that I have a phone that takes decent pictures, I'll get photos of the nice 'weeds' come spring again. Been wanting to but my old flipper-phone's camera just sucked rocks and garbage. New phone much better at photos. Just need to remember to take some. (A problem I've always had. Even with a camera in my hand, I end up too enthralled to remember to take a picture lots of times.)
Glad you are feeling better. Sometimes it just takes slowing down and getting a good nap or sleep.
The best one can do is improve one's own patch of the planet. Sounds like you're doing a good job.
DeleteHaving a good camera handy is both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes you want to take pictures, sometimes you just want to be in the moment.
Sarge and Beans. Both of you nailed it about the camera. If I have a good camera in my hand, then I'm looking at lighting, framing the scene and I'm a photographer or videographer.
DeleteI drifted into being the videographer for my wife's school shows, and when asked how they were I said, "I watched them on a screen that was 2 by 3 inches, and my main goal was to keep the action in frame.
After my wife retired, we returned for a show, and I really enjoyed sitting in the audience and just watching the performance.
When I'm focused on taking pictures, I miss the real things going on around me.
DeleteThat's why a lot of my pictures are just me and nature. I can enjoy the scenery, then just take the shot.
Super post Sarge. Beautiful images.
ReplyDeleteWhen I fist landed in Virginia, despite the vistas so different from my experience, I felt completely at home. I've no idea how or why but Virgina is deeply coded in my DNA. I believe this is evidence that I am somehow physically American.
Could be simple psychosis though. 🤪
There is something about Virginia. I felt it the first time I visited and I feel it more each time I go there.
DeleteThe view from Mount Vernon is wonderful. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I can tell you're feeling a little bit better - GREAT! Thanks for sharing those wonderful pictures. I like the idea of staying at an older house and walking about, wondering about the history of the land. I wonder what the story of the chimney is. Probably a part of the restoration of 2003. Thanks again. Don't rush things. Take it easy. Relax
ReplyDeleteBTW It's Biketoberfest here in Volusia County. Ol' hurricane Nestor (what kind of a name is that? Seriously) blew through and I thought it might have discouraged some. Nope they're still here. Winding down today. It's cooled off a bit, might even have to wear a sport coat to Sunday School next week. Fall, ya know, and all.
The place has thirteen fireplaces, pretty even if they don't actually use them anymore.
Delete(I can see that going horribly wrong!)
Hey AFSarge;
ReplyDeleteNice pics and glad you are feeling better.
Virginia is for lovers, so great place for a wedding.
ReplyDelete