Thursday, November 17, 2011

Autumn Magic

fiery elm leaves
Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay. ~ Robert Browning




vibrant maple leaves
Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~ Stanley Horowitz




path at night
All the night's magic seems to whisper and hush ~ Van Morrison




spindle berries
On the motionless branches of some trees, autumn berries hung like clusters of coral beads, as in those fabled orchards where the fruits were jewels. ~ Charles Dickens




rose leaf
Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods. And day by day the dead leaves fall and melt. ~ William Allingham




Wabukayne4
A few days ago I walked along the edge of the lake and was treated to the crunch and rustle of leaves with each step I made. The acoustics of this season are different and all sounds, no matter how hushed, are as crisp as autumn air. ~ Eric Sloane




night path
They are busy all day, giving shade and support and shelter and food to all. Only when night falls can they find rest for themselves, and then, under quiet dark skies, the spirits that live in them are revealed.
~ Durga Bai




sheltered oak leaf
l(a

le
af
fa
ll
s)
one
li
ness
~ e.e. cummings




maple
Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees.
~ Emily Bronte




autumn path
But I remember more dearly autumn afternoons in bottoms that lay intensely silent under old great trees. ~ C.S. Lewis




night magic
falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
~ John Bailey

72 comments:

ADRIAN said...

Another wonderful set. Numbers three, seven and eleven are just brilliant.

Anonymous said...

Van Morrison... be still my heart. How I love his songs and always will.

Dianne said...

the evening shots with all that warm light make me feel all cozy

and no one captures a droplet they way you do

Dawn said...

All are beautiful...love the 2rd one. Oh Hilary! Haven't you had snow yet? I need to move east....

Gary's third pottery blog said...

its pretty, the way you get golden backlighing in some of those pics :)

Clare Dunn said...

Love all the 'road' pictures...beautiful!

xoxoxo, cd

CorvusCorax12 said...

just gorgeous..love the night pictures

Ruth Hiebert said...

What an amazing series! I loved all the shots.

DJan said...

I have walked with you through a beautiful series of fall photos, and pondered the wise quotes. Thank you, as usual I am amazed at your eye.

Anonymous said...

Great pictures and great colours

Laura said...

Every image is truly magical Hilary...thank you for sharing the beauty with all of us!

Ruby said...

lovely shots!

Cricket said...

Love the sepia look. I'm almost betting that's the real light, not a "trick."

And I think Moondance works as well as anything I might come up with. At any rate, it's in my head now.

Leah J. Utas said...

Number three is the entrance to a magical world. Thank you.

TexWisGirl said...

i loved all of these, but the night shots, particularly #3, took my breath. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh my - what utterly delicious and glorious shots!

ellen abbott said...

too hard to pick a favorite. like like like

Brian Miller said...

nice...love that warm glow i find in many of these pictures...like the light on the path there at the end or in the third picture...

Slamdunk said...

Fitting that you would depict leaves this morning. I just finished raking the yard and am watching the wind blow my piles.

Daryl said...

Awesome macros and I am liking the evening shots .. oh and whilst in Philly last Saturday I saw several of those red pine needle-like trees .. no tags or labels to tell me what they are ... gotta google it ..

Liz Mays said...

I absolutely love it. I've never seen fall shots in low light like those, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.

Anyes said...

Magical captures of Autumn's beauty. Thank you Hilary :-)

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

These are just stunning, Hilary...all of them. I, too, like so many other commenters, was drawn into those low-light pathway pictures. Just beautiful.

Frank Baron said...

Evocative shots accompanied by thoughtful captions. Very nice, indeed. :) (And I see Diane Cayton-Hakey has excellent taste in music.)

messymimi said...

We get few trees down here that turn anything but brown, so thank you for the view of a real autumn.

sage said...

I love the drops of water on the red leaves (and I could hear Van Morrison singing in the background).

Suldog said...

Your eye for composition is truly amazing. Take it from a guy who has NONE :-)

Mage said...

Goodness. What a lovely world you live in.

Don said...

You know I like a good quote! Also, I like those eerie night shots.

Kerry said...

I love autumn, and you have captured it so beautifully in these photos and text. I love that Horowitz quote; each season is splendid in its own way, but autumn has elements of all of them.

Anvilcloud said...

The bronzy tint to your night pictures was inspired.

Tabor said...

Breathtaking beauty surrounds you and you are so talented to share!

photoioannina said...

Wonderful autumn photos!

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

I just adore how the light shines through the leaves in the first pic. Your golden shot are just breathtaking sweetie.

God bless and enjoy this wonderful day!!!

Josh said...

Don't tell me these shots are by where you live ...

... then I'd just have to be jealous.

Gillian Olson said...

Beautiful pictures, the night shots especially.

ds said...

Glorious. Love the droplets especially, and the lone leaf paired with mr. cummings. You are inspired (and inspiring)!

Dan said...

There's magic in all these photo's.

I find myself looking forward to your posts wondering what magic you'll share each time.

Red said...

I'm always amazed at the super quotes you find to go along with some very interesting photographs.

Gail Dixon said...

The autumnal hues of many of these are simply amazing. Never tire of seeing your photos of the leaves changing color. Music to my soul.

Hilary said...

• Thanks very much, Adrian. That's high praise coming from a fine photographer such as you. :)

• Diane, I'm glad I could oblige. :)

• Thank you, Dianne. It was actually a warm night, too.. for October. :)

• Thank you, Dawn. I'm pleased to say that we haven't seen much more than an errant snowflake or two, so far. It's cold enough, today though. Last night dropped below freezing for the first time, so winter is well on its way. Thanks always for stopping by. :)

• Thanks kindly, Gary. I'm glad you like it. :)

• Clare, thank you. The "road" is the walking path in my local park. I'm glad you like it. :)

• Thank you, Covus. I enjoyed snapping them. :)

• Thanks so much, Ruth. It pleases me to know that you do. :)

• Thank you, DJan. I always enjoy having you along with me. You're great company. :)

• Welcome, Munchow and thanks very much for the kind words. ;)

• Thanks very kindly, Laura. I'm glad you stopped by. :)

• Ruby, thank you. :)

• Cricket the lighting is mostly lamp posts in the park - hence the yellowed/golden effect. I did brighten the images slightly in Photoshop so that a bit more detail would pop out but that's it for trickery. Thanks always for your visits, my friend. :)

• Thank you, Leah. I'm lucky to have that magic just a few steps from my front door. :)

• Thank you, Tex. I was pleased with how those turned out and I'm happy that you like them. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks so much, Lady Fi. That's a lovely compliment. :)

• Ellen, thanks, thank, thanks. :)

• Thank you, Brian. It's nice to know that city lights can still create a warm glow. :)

• Slamdunk, I feel your pain. I just raked mine on Sunday and it looks like I never touched it, today. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks, Daryl. I'm not sure which trees you mean but you can clue me in when Google guides you to the correct answer. ;)

• Thanks so much, BlueViolet. The night shots were fun to try. I must get out there again sometime.. maybe with a tripod, this time. :)

Hilary said...

• Thanks so kindly, Anyes. You always leave such lovely comments. :)

• Linda, thanks so much. I had a lot of fun trying to get those right.. coached by Frank somewhat. The trees were just right at that time, too. I'm glad you enjoyed them. :)

• Thanks, Frank. I enjoyed our night out on the park pathway very much. And I knew you'd remark about Van. ;)

• MessyMimi, I'm glad I could oblige. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Sage. I should probably take Moondance off of the loops now. ;)

• Sully, thank you kindly. But I'll bet you have a far better eye than what you give yourself credit for. :)

• Thank you kindly, Mage. :)

• Thanks, Don. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

• Thanks so much, Kerry. It pleases me to know that you enjoyed my autumn photos. :)

• Thanks, AC but that wasn't really my doing. The lights in the park have a yellowed hue to them. That combined with low light photography gave it that colouring. I just brightened it slightly afterward in Photoshop so that a few more details would stand out. I'm glad you like them. :)

• Thank you so much, Tabor. How could I not share when I get such kind comments. :)

• Thank you kindly, Photoioannina. :)

• Thank you very much, Nezzy. Your kind words never fail to make me smile. Thanks for that. :)

• Okay, Josh. I won't tell you. Yes I will. Most of these were taken less than a minute from my front door. It's a park with a pond and pretty pathways on which to wander. So, how green are you? ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thanks kindly, Gillian. Much appreciated. :)

• Thank you so much, DS. Your kind words make me smile. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. :)

• Daniel, thank you, my friend. That's such a lovely thing to say. :)

• Thanks, Red. I'm glad you enjoy the pairings. I have fun going in search of the right quotes. :)

• Thanks so kindly, Gail. I'm so pleased that you enjoy my photos. Much appreciated. :)

Barbara said...

I love these, especially the night shots. I thought of the Sloane quote today on my afternoon walk.

Pierre BOYER said...

Une belle promenade...

Pierre

Anonymous said...

The night shots are so enchanting! And each quote so perfect :) Thanks for the lovely comment on my post today, I really enjoyed figuring out how to put it all together, it took me a while, but then it all flowed out.

Sandi McBride said...

e.e. cummings has always been aa favorite...and who knew there could be so much beauty in death...but then when spring returns, it's a rebirth...lessons in there somewhere...
hugs
Sandi

Velvet Over Steel said...

Gorgeous pictures!!! These are the colors and even some of the images I can see out my patio into the forest. Awesome time of year!!!

CiCi said...

Sometimes your photos take my breath away. This is one of those times.

Unknown said...

e.e. cummings! I enjoyed your beautiful arrangement of photos and reflections, Hilary. Infact, Autumn may soon become my favorte time of year.It is absolutely magical and so is your blog page! :)

Tammie Lee said...

your post overflows with autumn beauty and lovely words, thank you.

Betty Manousos said...

dear hilary,

it is very clear to see why these are some of my faves. you have an eye for beauty and the TALENT to capture it.

happy weekend!
betty

photowannabe said...

Delicious photos of Fall, Hilary.
I love the way you see your world.
The quote about Autumn being a mosaic is perfect and says it all. The picture of the few leaves left on the branch is what our tre in the backyard looks like now. Two days ago it was full and vibrant as my post shows.
Your shot of the "melting leaves" with the rain drops is on of my favorites.

Bob Bushell said...

A darkness in your photographs, all of them. And I like the words of Van Morrison.

Helma said...

Hi Hilary,

what a truly wonderful and gorgeous bog with very warem colors. I'm really impressed.

Greetings from Holland by Helma

Crabby McSlacker said...

Ah, beautiful! And since I'm spending my winter in a location that features palm trees rather than lovely fall colors, I really appreciate you bringing sights of the season to enjoy!

Barb said...

It's always hard to pick a favorite when I visit with you, Hilary. But those night shots have such mystery and ambiance!

Linda said...

As always your pictures are lovely. I particularly love the night shots. The lighting is soft and pic #3 looks rather like a tunnel or cave. Excellent!

Joanna Jenkins said...

So beautiful, Hilary... And the colors are even more stunning with your blue background.

xo jj

yaya said...

Love the night shots...so eerily beautiful and I can almost feel the quietness. Our leaves are a memory and it's like everything is holding it's breath waiting for the first real snow to hit. Well, maybe it's me that's holding my breath!

Claudya Martinez said...

I don't care what season it is, your pictures are always magic.

Indrani said...

Difficult to decide which I liked best. :)
Great series. Superb captures.

Hilary said...

• Thanks, Barbara. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed it. :)

• Merci, Pierre. :)

• Christine, thank you kindly. Much appreciated. :)

• Sandi, indeed there are. The cycle of life.. and all that. :)

• Cora, nice to see you. How cool that you have a similar view happening over your way. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

• CiCi, thank you so much. I'm pleased to know that you enjoyed them. :)

• Michael, thank you so kindly. You never fail to bring a smile to my face with your sweet comments. :)

• Thanks very much, Tammie Lee. :)

• Betty, you're too kind and I thank you for that. :)

• Sue, thank you so much. It's interesting to know what stages everyone's autumn has reached at any given time. Seasons vary so much from north to south, and from east to west. Thanks always for your very kind words. :)

• Bob, thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you like the quote choice. :)

• Welcome, Helma and thanks for the kind words. They're very much appreciated. :)

• Crabby, thanks so much. Though, I've gotta say that I'm a tad envious of your palm trees. :)

• Barb, I'm glad you like them. And there's no need to pick a favourite. I'm just glad you like them. :)

• Thanks very much. What appears to be a cave, is just a bend in the path. So we're looking directly into the trees. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Joanna, thank you so much. I'm glad that you think so. :)

• Yaya, we're not too far off from snow now, either. It's been cold enough to cause a few flakes to fall the other day but we've not had any accumulation at all. Thanks always for the visit. :)

• Mami, thank you so kindly for that. :)

• Indrani, thank you kindly. No deciding necessary. :)

Geraldine said...

What great combinations of quotes and beautiful scenes. I love Autumn, I thoroughly enjoyed this post. Lovely!

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SandyCarlson said...

"Whisper and hush" is right. These are wonderful. Those night shots really got me. Breathtaking. I appreciate your lines on autumn, too. It's a wonderful season.

Reena said...

love the road and path pictures ... especially the evening ones

the Bag Lady said...

Hilary - those night shots are simply gorgeous! Love them.

Hilary said...

• Geraldine, thank you so kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Sandy, indeed it is. I always appreciate your visits. You never fail to leave such kind comments. Thank you for that. :)

• Thanks very much, Reena. :)

• Thank you, Baggie. I've missed seeing you around here and I'm glad you stopped by. :)

Anonymous said...

Fantastic Photos! My hair looks like the Belted Kingfisher when I get up in the morning :-)

Thanks for your recent comment on TOGB

Take Care and Have a Nice Day :-)

~Ron

Zuzana said...

Of all the seasons, autumn is the most versatile and colourful one. Nature goes trough so much stunning transition and it can be anything from warm and bright to cool and misty, stretching from fruitful rich harvest to barren landscape at the onset of winter.;)
Stunning images and appealing quotes.;)
xoxo

L. D. said...

Beautiful shots!!!!

Anonymous said...

The poets all do homage to my favorite season, as do your photographs. Thank you, Hilary!

Hilary said...

• Ron, your kingfisher head must be a sight to behold. You made me laugh. Thanks for that and for your very kind words. :)

• Zuzana, thank very much. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Autumn certainly speaks of versatility. :)

• Thank you, Larry. :)

• Karen, thanks very much. :)