October 1 - October 5 Big Waters Pass Through

2010-The remnants of a hurricane and a tropical storm barrel up the coast in the typical weather pattern here and give us a two day deluge ending what seems to have been (but I did not hear called) a drought.  In one day it rained enough to take the September total from a deficit to a surplus (not for the year though).  Nature in recollection is stable or gentle but in actual experience seems one extreme after another. Out of control.  Happily out of our control.  And reality, when we let it in, is so much better than we plan.
2011-The days continue socked in with clouds and alternately dribbling and spurting rain. The temperature may just make 60 but the wetness makes it feel chillier. I would like to just take the edge off with a burst of heat but the oil burner won’t turn on and the repairman is days away from showing up. There’s something in this passive helpless suffering that is iconic for me. I must force myself to do anything beyond sitting in my warm bed and knitting.  At the same time, my dreams have been emotionally intense, full of painful loss, jealousy and frustration.  The leaves seem to want to turn but have only managed a sad yellow brown before they just give up and let go.

The pale yellow leaves,
Disappointed in themselves,
Drop disconsolate.

2012-Warm foggy days with fits and starts of rain; the grey mist seems to make the colors more intense. In contrast to ’expert’ opinion, it is looking like the fall colors will be magnificent this year. Much in the garden continues to grow though the tomatoes have given up as the cucumbers did months ago. I’m suspecting blight and thinking I have not been careful to dispose of suspect plants away from the compost nor made an effort to look for resistant varieties. I had a theory that blight must be always present but healthy plants are immune unless long periods of wet cool weather undermine their defenses. There was a short period of that this year, but also hot and dry ones; condemningly, other people’s tomatoes look fine.
The oil burner is being serviced for the winter today-I’ve had it on the past four or five mornings to take the chill off, but today is warm again.
I finished dyeing the wool I had. Probably that’s it for the season unless something interesting comes out of the Sheep and Wool Festival in two weeks.
2013-The smells have been heavenly.  The whole front yard smells like maple walnut candy and the damp breeze, warm from the south, is rich in the odor of marigold, petunia and heliotrope.

Autumn trees smolder
Till,  with one ray of sunlight,
The whole world ignites.