Friday 21 November 2014

November … The Ghost of Autumn

 

I have been feeling slightly under the weather this week, nothing serious, just a head cold – I don’t think the weather has helped the situation much.

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Grey, gunmetal skies … mists and fogs … have given the landscape an eerie quality, sounds have been deadened and figures loom out of nowhere.

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So it has been this past week … the fields around have been hidden from us … the sound of cawing rooks the only indication of life – rare glimpses snatched out of the gloom. 

"So dull and dark are the November days.
The lazy mist high up the evening curled,
And now the morn quite hides in smoke and haze;
The place we occupy seems all the world."
-   John Clare, November

But then there are moments of beauty … early morning mists rising from the fields … adding a magical atmosphere to the landscape with a lavender streaked sky.

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Trying to find beauty in the everyday gets harder …

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the slow decay of the garden

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"November comes
And November goes,
With the last red berries
And the first white snows.
With night coming early,
And dawn coming late,
And ice in the bucket
And frost by the gate.
The fires burn
And the kettles sing,
And earth sinks to rest
Until next spring."

-  Elizabeth Coatsworth

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And then, briefly, the sun forces its way through the murk and we savour it … don boots and coats quickly… before it vanishes … relishing a walk with no drizzle and mist cloaking the views.

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 “Walked for half an hour in the garden.  A fine rain was falling, and the landscape was that of autumn.  The sky was hung with various shades of grey, and mists hovered about the distant mountains – a melancholy nature.  The leaves were falling on all sides like the last illusions of youth under the tears of irremediable grief.  A brood of chattering birds were chasing each other through the shrubberies, and playing games amongst the branches, like a knot of hiding schoolboys.  Every landscape is, at it were, a state of the soul, and whoever penetrates into both is astonished to find how much likeness there is in each detail.” ~ Henri Frederic Amiel

And so it is with November – a month of rain, fog, mist and sunshine.

60 comments:

  1. You had me at that first photo friend! But my goodness you had me at all of them! Your shots are amazing! They have such a feeling of mystery and beauty all wrapped up into one! And that horse up there put a huge smile on my face! I do hope you feel better soon Elaine! I know we are just getting over a bit of that in these parts too! Happy almost weekend to you!!! Nicole xoxo

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    1. Thanks Nicole. Trying to keep a positive outlook when the weather is gloomy is a challenge and to get decent photos is even more of a challenge. My cold is on the way out now thank goodness - a couple more days and I should be as right as rain.

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  3. Lovely photos, and then I find you've attracted the American misogynist (above).

    Almost too nice over here, south of the channel. We were sitting in hot sunshine yesterday. I think we really need some serious cold; essential for the health of the countryside.

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    1. Thanks Cro. That blooming American keeps popping up in my comments and I've noticed him elsewhere too - he really has got a chip on his shoulder. We have plenty of rain here and heavy frosts are forecast over the next few days - that should kill a few germs off.

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  4. Beautiful post, beautiful photos. Head colds all around over here - that really is the time of the year. The whiskers on that horse put a smile on my face. xxx

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    1. Thanks. Hope you all feel better soon Isabelle. Yes, the horse was very obliging leaning over the fence the sun caught his whiskers just right.

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  5. Your pictures are just so very November aren't they! I hope that you are feeling better again soon. xx

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    1. Thanks Amy. Yes, November isn't my favourite month but hey you just have to go with what you've got.

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  6. I love how the horse's whiskery chin glows.

    I don't think being cooped up inside helps. My sinuses haven't been happy

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    1. I agree, I hate being shut up indoors - not healthy at all.

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  7. Dear Elaine, those photos of fog and mist are very beautiful, thank you! Melancholy as part of this special season - I love the hopeful optimistic way Elizabeth Coatsworth puts it - reminds me to take up Susan Hill's lovely book "Through the Kitchen Window" - 'The trees are bare, leaves lie in sodden piles rotting on the ground. Lights go on early. (...) Mugs of cocoa. After that, close the kitchen door to keep the winter out."
    Yeah - time for a bit of rest. And a good book. And Dalziel&Pascoe in their third episode - autumn and rain - while we sit warm inside our house, snuggle up and drink our tea. Add a bit of ginger - it makes your cold go away soon, hopefully!

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    1. Thanks for the advice - I have been drinking honey and lemon which I find very soothing. I don't have that Susan Hill book I really must get hold of a copy. I have spent most of the weekend reading and taking it easy - hopefully I will be on the mend soon.

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  8. You show us really how November looks like and I love it. Especially the first foggy and misty photos are great, I love the atmosphere in the mornings.

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    1. Because I haven't been sleeping well I have been later getting up in the morning - so annoying as the sunrises are wonderful at this time of year.

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  9. Dear Elaine - Your pictures are really picturesque. I know it is very gray here in November. There is beauty though in the mist. Your photos certainly captured it. Glad you found some sunshine as well. Hope you are feeling better and will be right as rain soon! Hugs

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    1. Thanks Debbie. I have found that fog is very hard to capture on camera but I guess there is a kind of beauty in it and being November we know what to expect. Thanks for your good wishes.

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  10. Lovely seasonal and atmospheric photos, hope you feel well again soon:)

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    1. Thanks Rosie - I am sure I will - I hate having a cold and curse whoever passed it on to me.

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  11. Beautiful photos Elaine.
    I think the low grey clouds and the rain and mist doesnt help our well being!
    We have had such awful weather here.
    I was so happy today. The sun came out.. the animals could enjoy some sun on their backs.
    I took some early morning photos.
    You live in a beautiful area Elaine.
    Hope that you are better to enjoy the weekend.
    val xx

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    1. Thanks for visiting Val - the weather does tend to lower my spirits but I am gradually feeling more like myself - and it will be even better when the rain stops.

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  12. Beautiful photographs Elaine - you've really encapsulated the colours and moods of November - the misty days look quite spooky!

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    1. Thank you. I love the early morning mists but not quite as fond of the fog, but guess it is just November doing what it does best.

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  13. I know that heavily laden grey skies can make one feel quite low and depressed and create a longing to see the sun shinning in a blue sky, but I must admit that those first few photos of yours are quite magical and have a special beauty about them.
    Get well soon.

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    1. I hadn't thought of it before but I guess they do have a mysterious quality to them.

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  14. Nice post and beautiful photographs. November is quite enchanting in your part of the world and do I see a monarda still in bloom? Here's a little recipe for your head cold: 2 ounces of whiskey, a bit of lemon, 1 tablespoon of honey and 4 ounces of boiling water. Put everything in a mug and sip while it's hot. Enjoy!

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    1. Thanks Marielle. No it is a dahlia still in bloom. I have been drinking honey and lemon - no whisky though, I can't stand the stuff.

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  15. I hope that you're feeling better now. It's certainly become properly autumnal now as your wonderful selection of pictures show. I like that Elizabeth Coatsworth poem. Flighty xx

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    1. Thanks Flighty. We are still having pretty mild weather here - which is probably why there is so much fog about - we could do with a good cold snap.

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  16. I do so love the mists that autumn brings.....you have captured the season perfectly.
    It is eerie.......but sometimes I quite enjoy that.

    Love the image of the horse.....hope you gave him a carrot :)

    Hope you are feeling much better Elaine........Sambucol is wonderful for keeping colds away.

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    1. Fog, mists and drizzle - not my favourite combination (it makes my hair go frizzy).

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  17. I'm rather fond of November, perhaps not so fond of day after day of gloom though. This rather warm November seems all wrong ... 13 degrees here today, it's crazy.

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    1. I know we are meant to appreciate what every month brings but I do struggle with November.- very mild here too - yes I agree - it's crazy.

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  18. November was always a difficult month, but your photos shows her beauty...it's there is you are watchful. It has been a long year for me, but the move to the sunny climate with warm and longer days has been great for the spirit! As always your posts are uplifting.

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    1. We can't complain really the weather has been unseasonably warm - but a bit more blue sky would go down nicely.

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  19. I do love the poetry of John Clare, and the photographs - especially those first ones - complement it perfectly Elaine.

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    1. Thanks Freda - I am fond of his poems too.

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    1. I am on the mend nicely - another couple of days and I will be raring to go.

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  21. Some really atmospheric photos there Elaine. I especially like the one of the horse with the whiskers! Oh, and the fungi. I'm "on" fungi at present. I'm lucky enough to have a patch of trees just across the road from my house, in which lots of different fungi grow.

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    1. I am not sure if that fungi is edible but each year something has a good nibble on them. I have all sorts of different fungi growing in my bark paths - I guess they like the acidity.

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  22. I guess that the place we occupy should seem all the world is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes not, as our mental fog allows.

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    1. I am definitely full of mental fog at the moment - all things will pass.

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  23. Your photographs are beautiful Elaine ……. the first few really portray the sort of mystical mornings that we have been having….. beautiful words too. This is why I love living in the UK ……. each season has it's own beauty.
    ……. and, I hope you are feeling better now and back to 100%. XXXX

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    1. At least November is behaving as November should - but I will be glad to see the back of it - gloomy skies and all.

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  24. Ok this is now my new favorite set of pictures of yours....WOW. I love this. Who said winter can't be beautiful!?

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    1. I suppose it is in its own way but when it stays like this day after day you begin to wonder if the sun will ever shine again.

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  25. November always seems to be a gloomy month. It can't help if you have a cold. Hope you are feeling better soon!
    P.S. I forgot to give you my email address. I would still love that carrot chutney recipe- when you are feeling better of course. jenc_art@hotmail.com

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    1. The gloom seems never ending at the moment! Recipe on its way.

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  26. You live in a magically beautiful place.

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    1. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment - yes, I agree, most of the time it is a magical place.

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  27. Such a lovely post that sums up this month xxxx I don't remember it being quite so permanently grey before this year xxenjoy the sun when it arrives xx NIcola x from a garden x

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    1. Gloom and doom all this week - will it ever end?

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  28. Your pictures and words are wonderful.

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  29. Very mist like pictures, lovely to look at maybe not so good to live with.
    I do like the mushrooms something has had a good feed.
    Merle.............

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  31. Gorgeous photos and love that piece of prose at the end. We are supposed to be nearly in summer but we had a huge hail storm today

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  32. I too found your images and words so capturing and beautiful. Sarah x

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