SOGGY SPINES and skeletal leaves are everywhere in my world. The rainfall and time are slowly shredding the sopping wet autumn foliage above and beneath my feet.
When I was a child, I put the biggest and brightest leaves I could find in a scapebook ... usually for a school project.
Nowadays, my idea of beauty has broadened and I discover wondrous things in the tattered, torn and crumpled.
We are all changing like the leaves. This was me once (center, middle row with the sweater) in a classroom photo.
Confucius said, "Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."
Subtle patterns and textures eluded me in my youth when I prized perfect leaves and put them, like pinned butterflies, between pages of books.
On Saturday, the autumn phase was replaced by a light fall of wintry flakes.
In the front yard, snow snuggled into the holly tree that is leafy year-round.
Although some varieties of the leaf are prickly, they are also incredibly festive, long-lasting, glossy and green with clusters of bright red berries. If I were a leaf perhaps that is the one I should be.
Too hardy and needle-sharp to be trapped in a scrapbook, the holly leaf with its cluster of berries inspired decor at the mall for the holiday season.
An authentic looking Santa was at the mall. He gave me a wry smile as he kindly dealt with the children. Some were scared and a bit young to appreciate the bearded man who symbolizes a myth with a meaning that never grows old.
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Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms
I think I have seen carpeting like in the photo. You were cute when you were younger. Wonderful leaves images and a good post to read.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Penelope, that we are all changing like leaves. We are like leaves from the fresh green of youth to the withered and crumpled of old age to the dust in the end. When I was young, I really didn’t like to get old but gradually I’ve come to think freckles and lines of face is nice and beautiful. The fifth is like yellow lace. Nice to see the photo of yourself long ago; you hold a certain trait since then. The snow on the holly gives us the Christmassy feel of December. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteYoko
I'm working at seeing the beauty in imperfection. Sometimes I see it and often I don't.
ReplyDeleteI really like your old class photo. I'm sure it brings back fun memories.
That's a jolly-looking Santa!
Lovely shots of the leaves - like small poems left by nature.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, especially the one of the holly berries in the snow. And that's a good-looking Santa!
ReplyDeleteYes I too feel that I am in the Autumn of my life.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful smile from your childhood shot! I also very much like the snow on the holly tree photo!
ReplyDeleteThese are a wonderful series of photos! A great post.
ReplyDeleteI loved reading it.
(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!
Wonderful sequence of shots. I love finding beauty in imperfections.
ReplyDeleteOh beautiful pictures I love autumn leaves although I don't want to change them yet for our bright green ones.
ReplyDeleteLove the Confusius quote and you are cute in that old school picture.
It was a delight to see your sweet smile in that school photograph, Penelope! I love that you see beauty in all stages of life, a theme for all of us to carry with us as we navigate the many ways surface beauty is promoted in consumer-focused society.
ReplyDeleteLove the holly tree! Also much better to compare with :-)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your thoughtful post. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletehow interesting you would photograph imperfect leaves. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteLovely meditative post. I've become more and more attracted to the fading flowers and trees but have never been able to articulate my reasons as beautifully as you did here. A lovely post. (Of course at the stage of life where I am, I do hope that my metaphorical Autumn lasts a long long time.)
ReplyDelete