October 28 - November 1 Week 38/72
sharp staccato calls of coyotes
coaxing each other further back into the woods
travel effortlessly through the dark quiet
of the early morning air, while the underbellies of leaves
beaded with raindrops create ragged reflectors strewn
randomly across the ground, until the sun rises revealing
the unexpected arrival of shaggy manes standing erect
mushrooms brilliantly white, saluting the day
mixing their scent with the richness of damp fallen leaves
hours vanish into dusk, temperatures tumbling
sending shivering reminders that soon snow will
replace rain as evening skies clear and deep cold traveling
down from the blue moon etches thousands of unseen edges
with the sparkling crystals of autumn's first hard frost
We had our first frost (I think. . . days are starting to blend into one) but it was mainly that the water at the bottom of the wheelbarrow was frozen solid, almost three inches thick and crystal clear. We decided to help the soil creatures along this year, even though we really can't see much moving around except leaves and birds. The leaves are mostly still on the trees! And we've moved (literally) barrels and barrels and barrels of acorns. A game I play is to hold the acorns in my hand chest high over a chipmunk hole to see if I can drop it in. Reminds me of the old "drop the closespin in the milk bottle" that…