Leaf Peeping

Earlier this week we went for a day trip north to Banning State Park and then on to Jay Cooke State Park south of Duluth, MN. It was a great time for

in the north woods that I love so well. The colors at Banning State Park were gorgeous. And walking in the woods there was such a treat. The weather was perfect with clouds scudding by and sun peeking out in between the clouds.

Yesterday we had lunch with my husband’s 90-year-old aunt and uncle and two of his cousins. It was a gift to be able to spend time together with all of them. None of us were our young selves anymore but I like to think that we were all more relaxed and a little more interesting than we were when we were young. I was reminded of this poem by Jane Hirshfield…

Ripeness

Ripeness is
what falls away with ease.
Not only the heavy apple,
the pear,
but also the dried brown strands
of autumn iris from their core.

To let your body
love this world
that gave itself to your care
in all of its ripeness,
with ease,
and will take itself from you
in equal ripeness and ease,
is also harvest.

And however sharply
you are tested —
this sorrow, that great love —
it too will leave on that clean knife.

–Jane Hirshfield, The October Palace