The Equinox has come and gone, and yet summer light lingers on in soft warm pools. Shimmering within translucent pink petals, and in long streaks between the shadows. The light is low and long, reaching in and below awareness, touching surprising angles, and all the time winter is hovering at the edges. In the mornings the light is too thin to keep the mist and frost at bay, and slowly the summers flowers are falling into decay. Look closely and you will see the unraveling edges of the year, and yet in the full bright light of midday, summers beauty still holds sway.
The bees and butterflies stumble on between flowers, nectar drunk beyond caring that the balance of the year has tipped. Drinking in this dream laced light we might forget too, that winter is brooding within the dark heart of the deepening shadows. She is patient and can wait for this last flurry of petals and perfume. But the balance has tipped and there is more darkness than light in the day, and we lit candles last night for the first time since Spring. All good things must come to an end, to make way for the next wave of beauty and change, but just for a week or two it’s as though we have held off the turning of the year. Lost in a dream of endless summer light…..
…..we almost forget that we need balance. To dip into winters darkness sweetens the growing light of spring to come. Like the flowers we can regather our energies and reserves as we turn inwards into winters quiet space to think, emerging refreshed and ready to grow again once winter passes. The balance lies in the soft steady rythm of the change. Can you embrace the balancing act or will you resist?
breathofgreenair 
Pure magic Seonaid. Memorable in every way: the poetry of your words and the beauty of your images. I am saving this to enjoy and revisit in the winter months ahead. Thank you 🙂
Andrew what a lovely comment, thank you. I love the idea of my words and image being reused over the cold dark winter months…a little ray of hope at what will surely return💕
My pleasure
Love this post of fading summer, love the flowers and the melancholy. 🙂
Thanks Brenda, and yes I can feel that sad tug of goodbye to summer warmth😀
Each fall is sadder as I get older. I used to love fall and was happy the high heat was past.
Another beautiful, magical post, Seonaid. I’m not sure which paints the prettier picture — your words or your images. This is my favorite time of year, and I always look forward to this shift towards winter. 🙂
I love it too as the colours shift and the light gets soft and low…delighted you liked the weaving of words and images. They were taken and dreamt on a walk through the local Vogrie Estate
Great reminder and beautiful images! Wishing you a lovely weekend 🙂
Thanks Indah, let’s hope the summer light lingers just a little longer 😀
A lovely delicate ode to the changing season and the fading blossoms of summer.
And a delightfully delicate response, thank you😊
🙂
I really enjoyed this post – such beautiful photos and such soulful words.
That’s wonderful to hear Suzanne, thank you 😊
Wow – that is so gorgeous! Still so summery,
I know, this summer is stretching herself right out….it feels endless
I’m afraid I’m compelled to resist for now !
Ha, I thought you might Gilly! And this year it’s easy with this glorious late summer sun 🙂
Such stunning late summer images, Seoaid! I’ve been living for many years in places where there is almost no difference to be noticed between the changing seasons. I think I’m missing something besides the cold winter weather. Beautiful post as always.
Thanks so much, lovely to hear you enjoyed the post and the images….that soft low light makes my heart ache slightly with its beauty each time I see it.
I do love the constant steady rhythm of change as the seasons roll around, I think it soothes me somehow. I know I would miss it, despite the drawbacks of short days and little heat, winter brings its own enchantments and wonders…frozen puddles and frosted leaves, snow and slow drifting freezing fog….and of course we have all of the glory of autumns colours yet to come 🙂
Absolutely beautiful photos. I love the way you combine the photos with thoughts.
Thanks Madeline, I can never stick or either words or images…they inspire each other in my head. Delighted you enjoyed the mix, and thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Wow! Seonaid, your pictures threw me off balance—they are wonderful.
Thanks John, I’m delighted that they’ve made an impact….the light was deliciously soft, and I did have to do a rather strange contortion over the top of a rose bush….but all worth it for such lovely comments as this 🙂
So beautiful and dreamy, the angle and light awesome. I love those anemonies too – their soft colours and sweet faces. I have always been aware of the need of seasons to appreciate life….and this year I am able to slow down and feel…My year off is so essential…trying to find my balance again. I think I’m on my way – and your posts are making me feel even better.
Ah Tina I’m so happy to hear that balance is returning to your life. I think, as I know you do, that nature and her shifting seasons can help us so much, connecting us back to a more natural human rhythm again. It’s easy to lose balance and our centre when the world moves too fast to care:-)
You are so right, Seonaid. And your way of putting this in words…I hope I will find my way back to words as well.
I love, love, love your post today and will of course join in Thursday’s Thoughts whenever I have the chance. What you have written is so soft and open, and I’m sure many people will resonate with your journey back to yourself. I eagerly await updates😊
You also brought back some wonderful memories of that beautiful visit….
Thursday Thoughts – A breathofgreenair | Leya
https://lagottocattleya.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/thursday-thoughts-a-breathofgreenair/
I’m glad you are a reader!
Late season sunlight hours as you’ve shown have given us a beautiful lead into Autumn Seonaid.
PInk anenomes ? I have a humble clump still giving a show 😉
Enjoy your harvest bounty in all ways !
Thanks Poppy, aren’t they generous flowers, as you say they just keep giving:-)
No-one resists it harder than me! 🙂 And yet…
This morning I found a Polish poem all about Autumn in my Inbox and I loved it. I may yet incorporate it on the blog. We’ll see. Meantime, I was blown away by your wonderfully abandoned flowers, Seonaid. However did you get that huge one to display like that? I love it! I felt a bit like a drunken bee myself. 🙂 Happy Autumn to you! (I followed you here from Gilly’s- another poet par excellence)
Oh Jo don’t tell me after all these years you’re finally growing to love Autumn 😉 It’s been such a gloriously lit one this year though I’m sure it’s converted many previous resistors! I love Gilly haikus, so inspiring, and must get back to writing them again myself!
I’ve always loved the colours- how can you not? But we spent the first half of this week engulfed in fog and I just know what’s coming! 😦 Glorious today though. I’m off out to enjoy!
Yeah, winter is waiting patiently in the wings to make her entry , so we must enjoy every last drop of summer light 😀
Love the photos! I love your perspective…..takes my breath away…. 🙂
Oh how lovely to hear, and I found my breath s bit swept away with the beauty too😃 The angle did require a rather challenging bend over the top of an especially prickly rose bush😅
Lovely images, lovely light, lovely words.
Oh thank you Lemony…I was feeling a bit swept into dreamland😃
gorgeous pictures
Thanks, the low angle keeps it nice and soft 😃
Ohhh, I am SO READY for Autumn. I love the brisk breezy days, yet the sun shines to tantalize us. For me, the early evening darkness gives me a sense of peace. The change of seasons is so tantalizing for me. My skin and hair coloring are accentuated by Spring and Autumn colors so this time of year makes me glow! Thanks for your fantastic pictures and your delightful message! Happy Autumn!
It’s a stunning time of year isn’t it Geynn, and I love the idea or you glowing beautifully in Spring and Autumn 🙂
There is something about slowly coming to rest as the days shorten and the work is mostly finished in the garden…however this year the harvest just keeps coming 🙂 I’m surrounded by trees groaning with apples, and green beans still pouring into the the beanpoles….and don’t even start me on the soft fruit, especially the raspberries !!!
I’m NOT a gardener, BUT I will help devour your apples, beans, and raspberries!! 😉
Lol, well I do need some help, especially with the apples and raspberries this year😊
Glorious photos. Love that exquisite lavender color.
Thank you… The light was a gift and those flowers are one of my favourites, they’ve been flowering away for months now 🙂
What a glorious light capture! Beautiful details of the second one! 🙂
The soft low light is perfect for shooting right into, and I love the way the petals fill with light showing off their hidden structure 🙂
🙂
It really is… And what a beautiful book Amy 🙂
Glorious perspectives there Seonaid! Love the light through the petals 🙂
I can never resist low filtered light Sarah…petal filtered being the best sort of course 🙂
They glow 😀
Perhaps we ar eternally returning to balance…. A fine pair of posts! Thank you!
Thank you Michael, and yes I think you’re right…rebalance is eternal, continual and inevitable 🙂 If only we could always embrace it!
Yes, always the difficult part…..