A Few Reasons Why I Love Autumn at the Ditch

Lest you should thing the only thing I love about going to the Ditch is Harry the Heron, think again.

Yes, I find him striking and when I see him, he does take my breath away. But then, I think he does that for a lot of people.

No, I like passing the little garden on my walk down, where rosebuds are still in bloom.

I love the ducks. The mallards...

...the brown ones. Are they female mallards?

Some burrow their beaks under their feathers, ready for a snooze in the late afternoon sun. Yet, ever alert.

And this one -- a duck or a goose?

I don't know, but when I see those beautiful feathers, it doesn't really matter. They dazzle me.

I find the color at this time of year breathtaking.

And it isn't just the orange.

It's the purple astors...

...the golden leaves... (Do you see Harry, camouflaged against the shore?)

...the dazzling turquoise sky.

There are greens that soon will be gold.

Some, like me, walk about and take photos. Others walk their dogs or their children in strollers. Still others, like this fellow, just choose to sit back and meditate at this most peaceful of spots.

Yes, I love the blues and golds, oranges and greens. I can't resist the sumac.

But there is something so peaceful about the neutral colors...

...and those wonderful browns.

Yes, autumn colors tell stories.


And in the shadows of the early evening, amidst the beauty of these creatures, the sense of camaraderie amongst those who visit, the quiet of my footsteps on the path, I realize how very lovely my life is. And I say a little prayer of thanks.