“Autumn is the Mellow Time.” William Allingham
“Delicious Autumn, my very soul is wedded to it…” George Elliot
The last several mornings on my back porch have been filled with Goldilocks perfection, just warm enough, just cool enough, just right…bringing peace. My heart breathes a sigh of contentment, the intensity of summer in North Carolina is mellowing at last. 
Fall is my favorite season and comes late here on the coast, slowly evolving, and lingers into December. I love this gentle unfolding of its graces.
Elizabeth Bowen said it, “Autumn arrives in the early morning..” When after days of drenching rain it crept on into our yard early last Friday morning on cool fingers of fog, only poetry could describe its Siren Song:
Morning mist wanders in the limbs of the long leaf pine,
Drifting in wisps, blurring the edges of our garden
Into watercolors of soft green and gray, burnt sienna and sable,
Lightened by mere fingerprints of lingering mums,
Touches of rust and buttercream.
In circles of sound, crickets play perimeter harmonies,
Cardinals and warblers welcome the yet unseen sun, and
Overhead geese cry, Come, Come, Come, Come,
I will, I will, I will…..Come, Come, Come,
I will, You know I will.
Autumn lulls us with whirring cicadas,
Suffuses our senses with sunrises of scarlet, rose, amber, and yellowed gold,
Washes us luxuriant in lush leaf colors,
Palettes of crimson and cinnabar, jacinth and jessamine.
Come, come, come…I will, I will.
Sing to me autumn, sing your song of life fulfilled,
Enfold me in your slanted, soft, saffron, light,
Ripen me to completion, ready for harvest
As I finish the last niggling leaf in life’s story,
Come, come to me, Sing your song…I will,
I will.
No, I don’t write poetry often any more. 
But flights of geese arrow over head this morning, pointing me to answers, calling.
Can you see them? Can you hear them? Will you answer?
…I will.
joanneeddy's blog 
Poetry to begin my Wednesday morning. It is just the remedy needed. We have not seen a change of color yet here in RI, to tell the truth, it’s been a bit grey. But you’ve brightened up my day. Thanks, my friend
LikeLiked by 1 person
I started Friday, finished it Monday, but kept it for the post debates for some peace. Actually, fall is just barely starting here. Some scarlet and yellow only on the small crepe myrtle leaves, some slight yellowing on our wild cherry. But Fall is always vivid in my memory, and always seems to start with geese for me.
In Syracuse fall comes fast, intense colors lasting just past Halloween into early November. Here it is a long slow stately progression, a maiden who strolls my garden touching ever so lightly a leaf here and there. So I have learned to embrace its gentleness, the slightest change a gift. We still have color till almost Christmas. I love having beautiful colors for Thanksgiving. Wishing you a joy filled day. 🎃🎃🎃
LikeLiked by 2 people
🍂 🍁🌼
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautifully written post with gorgeous photography. You are so lucky to keep such fine weather for so long. Sadly, we have wind and rain here!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much, Brigid. When we lived in Syracuse, fall often was filled with grey days, and then a perfect day of sunshine would dawn and fill me with joy. I don’t miss the clouds, but sometimes I think those who have known mostly sunny days can take them for granted. So, though I now live in North Carolina, I carry my awareness of those gray days into my joy of our fall weather, a kind of internal perspective. Hopefully, the sun will break through for you soon!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too. I am off to Glasgow on Friday for my friends 60th birthday. Hoping for calmer weather for my flight!
LikeLike
Oh, I hope so…that is a big and meaningful birthday. So nice that you are going to join her. As we say here in NC, safe travels! Jo
LikeLiked by 2 people
A beautiful post, Jo, and lovely photos to illustrate it. And it’s great to see an American giving my favourite season its proper name 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Clive!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You captured it. Fall is invigorating and majestic. Wait until we get into October, my favorite month.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Ted!
LikeLike
I can see, smell and hear all the beauties from your porch because of you exquisite words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Bernadette!
LikeLike
Exquisite images that portray autumn in all it’s wondrous glory, Jo.
LikeLike
Thank you, Carol. I love fall! It’s the sessonIfeel most alive.
LikeLiked by 1 person