Passing of Fall

This is one of those fall days that  teases and plays with you. The wind has taken all the leaves and the trees stand naked in the afternoon sun.  The sun peaks out from behind the clouds long enough to give hope of maybe just a few more bright days.  It will not linger long because it fights with large gray clouds determined to over shadow the light.

The shadows are long now and the flowers are tucking in for the winter rest.


Fall seems to come soft and quiet turning everything in nature to a variety of colors.  The back yard flowers slip into shades of brown while the trees move from green to yellow, gold, rust and red.  Its hard to let the color go. Its eye candy and the inner part of you drinks it up savoring every last bit. 

 

 

The mountains change section by section depending on their vegetation.  Yellow more common that red.  Stands of aspens cluster together forming a solid ball of yellow.


The wind is moving in and pulling the leaves from the trees blowing them into piles and scattering bits and pieces randomly across the ground. 

















The trees in my yard are bare and stand guard as they bend in the wind. The empty bird feeder hangs from the lowest branch and swings back and forth. My flower beds will stay covered with leaves for the winter. Somehow I just feel better knowing the perennials have a blanket for those cold nights before snow adds another layer.  We follow seasons finding something good in each one.  There is always something to look forward to; changes that bring a spark of color or a warm wind or the white flakes of snow.  As fall slips away,  I  remind myself to look for the best of what is left of this season and to see winter as a time of rest and renewal embracing each day and what it offers me.
    

Moving Cattle

My box just became a little bigger this week.  Jean invited me to ride up to her ranch with her. The cattle have spent the summer grazing in the mountains around the homestead area of Dehlin. As winter is approaching, they have to be rounded up and trucked back down to the valley ranch. Their summer range has turned to gold and deep yellow. Soon the trees will drop their leaves in anticipation of snow.

The black angus bunch together as the men push them toward the corral.  Bawling to each other they follow the leader down the hills and eventually into the pen. For some this a remembered experience and they lead the younger cows through the gate.  They are a noisy group as they come together and group up. A four wheeler pushes behind them along with a gaiter to keep them moving, One man on a mule and another on a horse keep them from moving too far apart. The old way and the new way have come together making the job faster and easier, while the mule and horse still keep the color and flavor of the past alive.

Jean and her niece, Sara, have a hot meal waiting for the men as they come in.  A tailgate lunch at a cattle round up as much more atmosphere than tailgating before a football game.  The air is crisp and the wind plays with the paper plates and napkins. Sara's hot barbecue sandwiches along with Jean's macaroni salad, cookies and brownies are a perfect fit for hungry men and boys.  The back of a flat bed pickup makes a perfect table.

This is a yearly ritual--getting together to help your neighbor and enjoying a good meal together at the end of the day.  No one seems to act like this is work, but rather a fun way to bring fall to a close.

Jean has been part of this annual event all of her married life.  Driving up she expresses her love of the area and appreciation for its stark beauty. I understand her feelings and see the beauty also. Her life is much different than mine, yet we still find a common ground in the beauty and richness of the land. I am fortunate she invites to share these things with her. I am not so much city that I can't be a little bit country.