Saturday, November 19, 2011

TONGUES OF FLAME

Fiery Japanese Maple (it really was red!)
from an early morning walk at Villa Montalvo, CA


What is sometimes called a
     tongue of flame
or an arm extended burning
     is only the long
red and orange branch of 
     a green maple
                          
------ from "Autumn" by Grace Paley


Forgive my fascination with Nature in Autumn.  Everything else pales in comparison.

I've been rather pathetic photographing outfits lately.  If it makes you feel any better, I have been boring my personal friends with images from autumn walks.  No surprise, my initial efforts at vigorous exercise on these walks are always thwarted by the views.  So, I will be happily plump this Fall, engaged in visual calisthenics instead.

Are the autumn colors peaking where you are?  

***********

On a separate note, I wanted to thank Debi of Fly Songbird for passing 2 blogging awards to me.  I was completely caught by surprise and so honored.





Debi is one of the most genuine, young bloggers around.  Her blog is an honest, sometimes wonderfully raw, account of things she loves and hates.  Often, I even learn a thing or two about Indian culture!  

I had promised her an answer to the following questions:

1. Favorite Color:  If it's on the color wheel, I like it.
2. Favorite Song: Tough to choose, like having to choose a favorite note.
3. Favorite Dessert: Anything made with bitter, dark chocolate, and a touch of liqueur.
4. What makes you mad?: Incompetent people who refuse to admit their incompetence.
5. When you're upset: I clench my jaws tightly.  The Dentist says I am a Grinder.
6. Favorite Animal: Those found in nature.  Not into pets.
7. Black or White?: Black. Sometimes White.
8. Biggest fear: This seems to be something I should only be telling a psychoanalyst.
9. Best feature: Long neck, minus the wrinkles increasingly circling it.
10. Everyday attitude: Do what you love and do it well.
11. What is perfection?: Something we, as humans, constantly reach for and a few actually achieve.
12. Guilty Pleasure: Watching a thriller or adrenaline-junkie film.

Thank you so much again for including me in this selection.  I enjoy several of the blogs on that list!   

15 comments:

  1. Beautiful post, I enjoyed learning some things about you too :) Have a great week!! xx

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  2. Autumn is so beautiful it's difficult not to admired with all those redish, golden colours. Here is just the last whisper of autumn it's starting to look more like winter. x

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  3. What a stunning red those leaves are! I love Autumn too and filling up memory cards with pictures of trees in blazing colour on my walks as well.
    My dentist thinks I'm a grinder too - I'm in denial!

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  4. To me the leaves look like reaching hands. (OK, try me on a Rorschach blot next!)

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  5. Congrats on your blog awards!
    lovely picture.
    Xoxo

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  6. Such a beautiful color! Twitter

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  7. Fall is always my favorite time of year! Their is a giveaway on my blog I think you will love, pass by to enter!

    -V

    http://stylishlyme.com

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  8. ha! I'm a grinder, too. And you're not boring me, J: I'm bored to tears with most fashion blogs - I don't have time, for starts - and I feel our blogs should be whatever we want. I, for example, posted about olives, and lost a few followers. My loss!

    For some reason, I never think of California as having seasons. These are gorgeous leaves. I find myself collecting them - that and pigeon feathers (for the cat: I make toys with thread and a feather - it's amazing how easily he is amused). The leaves just grace the 50s, glass, Noguchi style coffee table, along with a ton of shells and other bits of nature.

    Everyone says fall is their favourite time of year. Mine is definitely summer, but once I accept that it's here, I do embrace all things autumnal.

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  9. i am so glad you did this post!!!
    when it comes to autumn nature is so colourful it is not possible to refuse taking such pleasure in it!
    i am liking all these autumn photos..please share a few more..i have never seen leaves so red!

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  10. Autumn is the best, I am right there with you! Beautiful photo and words to go along with it. Enjoy this beautiful fleeting season!!

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  11. Wow.. those leaves are red! I agree, autumn is the best.. Haha I think I used to grind my teeth as well whenever I got upset but dont do it anymore..

    All the best, ~Angel

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  12. I really enjoyed this post! I love your sense of style!

    Fox House giveaway on my blog!
    Take a look and if you like follow me, I’ll be waiting for you: Cosa mi metto???

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  13. I love autumn too... the colors are so warm and welcoming.

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  14. wonderful japonese maple tree. congrats on these awards! love your mostly "non-answer" ;) I am not too much into pets either (more into animals in nature just like you) and I sometimes clench tightly my jaws too :)

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  15. I love the Japanese maple (momiji) I could stare at the leaves for a long long while.

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Dear Fellow Aesthetes, I love hearing your thoughts. I think the other readers find them valuable too! Much love xxx

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