"When the oak is felled the whole forest echoes with its fall, but a hundred acorns are sown in silence by an unnoticed breeze."
Thomas Carlyle (Scottish Historian and Essayist ~1795-1881)
Yesterday I noticed a true sign that Summer is on the wane and Autumn is imminent. Not only do I see them, I hear them falling on the roof with a clatter, then rolling down and bouncing off the back deck. Some are still attached to sprays of leaves like this, bright green acorns stuffed into their little rough textured cups. Some years we have thousands fall from several mighty oaks on our property - they'd be ankle deep if we didn't sweep and blow often.
The first acorns of the season.
Background is Edith Holden's beautiful watercolor illustration in
The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady (1905).
"If the 24th of August be fair and clear
Then hope for a prosperous Autumn that year".
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Love the illustration! I am looking forward to the fall too.
ReplyDeleteI love this post!! The photo is gorgeous. The illustration is beautiful! I love Fall!
ReplyDeleteThere were oak trees beside the steps of the first school I attended. The building and trees are gone now, but I remember the acorns. It seems we opened them and there was "red ink", in them. Do you know anything about this "ink", or am I just dreaming up a memory from first grade?
I've dressed the house up in autumnal attire, for Aunt Pittypat's visit. She'll be here tomorrow! I had better get busy and do some dustin'!
Hope you have a lovely rest of the weekend, Mary!
I was saying to myself that I hope Mary says where she got the illustration cause it gorgeous! I have that book but I haven't looked at it in a while. I'll have to find it!
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be in the 70's early this week (rainy though cause of Fay or something Fay related). But I'm just so happy to get a break from this summer heat. Soon it'll be fall - yippeee!
xo,
Manuela
Mary, Heidi is going to be sooo jealous when she sees your acorns and leaves. She loves them. She isn't online yet, we always get on at 11 my time to chat. I put a tribute to her on my blog.
ReplyDeleteNancy
It was a pleasure to speak with you yesterday. It seems via blogging that we are all old friends.
ReplyDeleteNow, I'm going to have to go check to see if acorns are falling from our tree yet. The thought of cool autumn days makes me smile.
They are falling here, too. Although, with it being quite the opposite of "fair and clear" here today, our prospects for a prosperous Autumn appear rather dim. At least, in the opinion of an Edwardian Lady.
ReplyDeleteMary, this beautiful post makes me feel all warm and cozy! I cannot wait for Autumn! I simply love it!
ReplyDeleteI have THE EDWARDIAN LADY - The Story of Edith Holden...I also have the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady DVD set. If you would ever like to borrow them, please let me know...you are most welcome to.
Hugs,
Deborah
Beautiful! Yes, fall is on its way and I am thrilled! :D
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful, beautiful photos. I'm soooo ready for the autumn. I've never seen acorns in their early, green state before; they are so pretty. When DH and I went to Yosemite last year, I came back with three brown acorns for keepsakes. After some time passed, they fell out of their caps, so I glued them back in with Elmer's. Those little ruffled/feathered (not sure of best word) caps are so cute to me.
ReplyDeleteMary, thank you for letting me know you tried the fig preserves...I'm so glad you like it too. I think the lemon makes all the difference.
Sara
Oh Mary Dear.. I got some acorns too..They are starting to turn and fall from the trees.. I love them..
ReplyDeleteand I love Autumn..
smiles, Deena
I love acorns and anything acorn themed, but i do despise pulling all the seedlings in the spring and summer! No matter how much we blow and rake there are still about a gazillion new oaks to contend with.
ReplyDeleteJanet
I love this book- One of my favorites! And acorns are a lovely gift from God- Nuts with cute little hats:)
ReplyDeleteI read that the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a very cold winter in the States this year. Maybe this is a sign.
ReplyDeleteAcorns are one of my favorite things. We took a break from all this work yesterday and walked in the heather fields instead. There was a very full and round but short oak among the heather. It was full to bursting with acorns. I took some photos to put on my blog but decided to show how my house is built in the water first.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad the joyful things of autumn are starting to show. It is nature's colorful parade before the earth takes its winter sleep.
To answer your questions...we have regular gas heating in our home. It heats very well. The houses were built extremely well on very long conctrete poles that are forces into the ground. If you open our cubby space under the ground you see that it is very dry. The insolation here is optimal. The Dutch are very used to building in these conditions. The danger is it becoming too dry for the historic building built near water. They used to build on wooden poles before there was concrete. Due to climate change, some of the poles are becoming to dry and starting to crumble which rocks the very foundation of the houses. It would be a terrible thing to loose any of those amazing homes.
Enjoy your Monday ~ a new start!
Hugs ~
Heidi
I love what you did to make just a few acorns look so lovely.
ReplyDeleteI have Oak trees and in FL I run around barefoot. That is until the acorns start to fall. They will bring tears to you eyes when you step on them.
They are not yet falling here but soon I must wear shoes.
Barefoot in FL
Becky
Funny that you should write this. As I was gazing out of the kitchen window, this morning,at an oak tree in our garden, I thought to myself..that looks definitely autumnal.
ReplyDeleteWhat with the summer that we've had here in Devon, I'll be glad when autumn arrives!! ;-)
Mary
ReplyDeleteBeautiful fall looking post..lovely.
Have you lost many plants shrubs or trees due to your drought?
That must be hard to have such watering restrictions.
How are your Provence trip plans coming?
Mim
Acorns are such symbols of hope! And isn't Raleigh the City of Oaks?
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your pictures. So pretty! I'm ready for fall!
Becky
beautiful photos <3 I looove oaks, so very beautiful!
ReplyDeletei just found you from nina's blog... i always love to see new blogs.
Delila
What beautiful photos of the oak leaves against the background of Diary Of an Edwardian Lady.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready for fall.
Yes....hooray! Hooray! My yard is also filling with acorns from the many oak trees I have. The squirrels are having a ball. But best of all....it does mean autumn is in sight!
ReplyDeleteOvercast and very windy here today and it'll probably be cooler as Gustav makes it's way up the Gulf. Just NOT too close to Florida, I hope!
Terri
http://www.islandwriter.net