Monday, November 3, 2008

Autumn




This week's Community Photo Challenge topic is, appropriately, Autumn. This photo is just for fun, since I am honored to continue to serve as a judge, but I hope that it inspires you to find one of your favorite autumn scenes and post an entry.

Our fall has been gloriously warm and sunny for the most part, but lack of rain in late summer and early fall has subdued the color - and finding opportunities to capture the traditional beauty of the season has proven challenging. This photo was taken not long after sunrise (and those who know me know how rare a shot like that can be!) at a State Park not far from here. A flock of geese flew into the shot just to add some interest, and I was most appreciative of their timing.

As the days shorten and temperatures fall, the colors of autumn serve as a reminder of the beauty of nature and the promise of the spring to come. Winter may sometimes be harsh in climates like ours, but life continues under the blanket of snow - and warmth comes more from the inside, which is not a bad thing at all. The change of season also causes us to alter our routines - and perhaps causes us to take stock of where we are and where we'd like to be in the journey of life. But wherever you are in your journey, I hope that you pause to reflect on the beauty of the here and now - and let the colors of autumn carry you through the more subtle shades of winter. Each season brings its own blessings, and those who take the time to see and appreciate them find light and warmth no matter the color of the sky or the numbers on the thermometer. I hope that you cherish each day - and always find the blessings within.

16 comments:

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

That is a beautiful picture and and a wonderful entry all together. I try to count my blessing each day, but find it harder in winter than any other time of year. I'll have to take your advice and try do better with that one. 'On Ya'-ma

MariesImages said...

Beautiful reflection & entry, Rob! REALLY NICE to see you participating & posting such a wonderful entry.

I am totally amazed by the beauty of autumn, the rich warm colors that reflect on a lake or pond. I went out yesterday, early, to find my reflections, but it was a bit too windy for it. I did however find a few shots but not what I had hoped for. I'll try tomorrow, maybe.

When winter sets all we have is grays, summer we have greens, but spring & autumn we have a celebration of color. I feel sorry for those who do not experience fall, it is such a glorious season!
Ü
Marie

Lynne said...

Personally, Autumn is my favorite. I love the changing of the leaves and the brisk feeling of cool in the mornings. I used to go hiking as a girl in the woods with a lunch sack and book in tow and would just walk in the security of the trees. It was amazingly beautiful to me, and peaceful.

Jeannette said...

That's beautiful Rob, your photos are always so good! It's so nice to see posts from you, I know we're always in for a treat when I see you've posted! I always think of autumn as mother nature having one last explosion of colour before the dreariness of winter. Great entry for the photo challenge! Jeannette xx http://jeannettesnewtravels.blogspot.com/

gina said...

what a beautiful, glorious fall day! so rich in color, and i've always loved reflections. truly inspiring.

Eaglesbrother said...

Very great photograph. I understand the dryness also as we here in NC mountains are in our 7th year of drought, but at the last minute we got a bit of rain and then some hard frosts to make the colors come alive, but not as good as last year.

Jan said...

What a beuatiful scene Ienjoyed your entry ..love Jan xx

Kathy said...

Beautiful photo. I so enjoy visiting all the entries. I may try to get back to entering soon. I'm still learning blogger tricks and that's enough for now.

Lori @ Purple Snapdragons said...

Thank you for sharing your wonderful photo. You are lucky to live near such a gorgeous place. It's always nice to hear from you. Thanks for stopping by!

Martha said...

Beautiful shot! I think those of us on the judging panel should rotate so we can play along here and there too!

Vicki said...

Rob, this is a wonderful shot. It's a shame it's not in the running for the challenge, but I'm so glad you shared it with us. Needless to say, the colors are spectacular. What I really love, though, is the composition and the fact that there's no empty space between the foreground and the trees in the background--the water is filled in nicely. GREAT JOB!
Vicki

Far Side of Fifty said...

Fantastic..it is a real winner! The reflections are so great it was like an eye overload..my eye did not know where to focus first! Thanks for sharing:)

Michelle said...

Nature has a remarkable way of reminding us how truly precious life is, and i think autumn does this better than perhaps any other season.

Sometimes, though, the hustle and bustle of our daily lives prohibits us from noticing the beautiful blessings right before our very eyes, and it's images and words such as these, which inspire the hearts and minds of many to do just that.

Thank you.

Joyce said...

You are very talented with the camera...you captured the scene so well...thanks for sharing and have a nice weekend...Joyce

Martha said...

Haven't seen you around in a while, thought I'd stop by to check in on my weekend blogathon blog jog! Hope all is well!

Robin said...

Breath taking! I love it...no explanation needed here to explain why I love autumn so much. Great shot!