Heartland
“Just the still melancholy that I love — that makes life and nature harmonise. The birds are consulting about their migrations, the trees are putting on the hectic or the pallid hues of decay, and begin to strew the ground, that one’s very footsteps may not disturb the repose of earth and air, while they give us a scent that is a perfect anodyne to the restless spirit.”
- George Elliot, 1841 (Life as related in her letters and journals, edited by J. W. Cross, 1885)
These photos are from walks up various cliffs and hills yesterday, taking in the autumn landscape on the Canadian Shield. In the distance, I saw a hawk soaring by, a raven perched atop a pine and a small float plane that I think was probably taking folks on a tour to see the fall colours. I was content to see the sights with my feet on the ground.
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Just beautiful. You are further ahead than we are. Thank you. A lovely treat.
Thanks very much! I’m grateful I was able to get out with my camera in time this year. What area are you in?
Gorgeous shots – the colors are spectacular. What a perfect way to spend the weekend
Thanks Sheryl, it must be nice up your way now, too. Hope all is well with you!
Awesome variety of colors!
The trees were incredible, thanks Merridy!
Wow, the colors are really spectacular. Autumn really is such a beautiful season. Here it’s just starting – the leaves are changing colors more every day, but they’re not yet as gorgeous as in your photos! Thanks for sharing these amazing shots!
It really is something to see right now. I like the next phase, too, the more subdued burgundy, orange and yellow tones of the oaks and tamaracks. Thank you for the kind comment!
What a gorgeous display of color! Just beautiful!
Thanks montucky, enjoying it while it lasts!
Gorgeous photos! And I’m jealous—we just don’t get colours like this on the wet coast.
The “wet” coast
Thanks shadhu, as much as I’ll miss the warmer weather, the colours make the transition a little easier. To be by the sea all the time, though, that would be great!
Well, it’s true, I have to say being by the ocean makes up for almost everything.
I thought it might!
I like skadhu’s “wet coast” reference. What joke can I make about the East Coast. We’re not as mild as the west coast but we don’t get the sudden, heavy frosts that cause the wonderful Ontario colours. Your photos are just lovely. Autumn slides in slowly here. Trees change but not in such a striking fashion and then the leaves will be gone. Each area has its own unique beauty. Ontario OWNS the fall …
Thanks a lot, sybil. I’m envious of you and skadhu out on the coasts… but that’s true, each area has its own beauty and fall here really is spectacular. I’ve seen some great colours traveling through Quebec this time of year, too.
Your photos could not be any prettier. Our color so far, is very muted. Nothing like that! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much, sandy. I look forward to seeing fall unfold in your part of the world!
How lovely – such pretty colours. What types of tree are in there?
Hi Meanderer, thanks! Of the hardwoods, the most common are likely maple, oak, poplar, beech and birch. It was so pretty you wonder how it can be real!
So beautiful, Cait…similar to our Utah canyons and mountains…and so very different…rolling hills of forested color…what treasures.
Thanks Scott! It seems these hills are the closest we can get to mountains in this area.
You’re very welcome…and they are gorgeous, no matter how high your hills stretch into the sky.
Spectacular shots! Must have been a great weekend for walking in the woods. Your colors are a little ahead of us here in coastal Maine. After putting on a few pounds during my vacation, I feel that I must be living on the eat coast!
Hi donald, thank you, it was a perfect weekend for walking in the woods. And what a vacation you had, it sounded amazing! I hope you are adjusting ok to being back on the “eat coast”
Dazzling autumn colors you’re having there – great photographs! We must wait a little longer for ours to arrive. I love “the still melancholy” of the season, too.
Thanks Barbara, every autumnn seems beautiful, but I think the colours might actually be more amazing this year than others. I liked that part of the quote, too, and also how the scent of the forest brings relief to the “restless spirit.”
Gorgeous shots, and a lovely Eliot quote. Thanks for sharing
Thanks a lot for coming by, Healthy Artists
Hi Cait!
The opening shot reminded me so much of a tree in a train village – the depth of field is beautiful. It’s not quite full-blown autumn here yet, but your beautiful photos are making me excited for it to get here.
Hi Lisa and thank you! The tree does look tiny when you think of it that way (it is the top of a large tree). It’s going down to almost freezing at night now and we have our woodstove going. Seems so abrupt after such a hot summer, but I like it too.
That sounds lovely – the woodstove, the cold weather. I love the cozy, comforting parts of winter.
Such a brilliance and clarity to your photos! – Lisa Comeau
It’s great of you to come by, thanks so much, Lisa!
So wonderful to see the autumn shield colours. I remember them from childhood – they do something for the spirit: enliven and invigorate it somehow, which you have done for me by sharing these beautiful pictures.
We have to look closely here for the reds, painted on berry shrubs in the understory. Our autumn vistas are mellow. Golden. No maples here, aspen and black poplar are the predominant deciduous tree in the boreal and foothills forests, sprinkled on the hills among the darkening fall greens of pine and spruce. Less abundant birch and tamarack lend their particular shades to the green to orange palette.
Thanks Cindy! I’m glad the pictures brought back some uplifting memories. The colours of your autumn sound beautiful, too. Hope you’ve had time to get to the woods with your camera.
Wow – so pretty! It must have been a glorious hike in all this color! We are getting there – probably about a month behind you.
Yes, it was a great to be surrounded by all that colour. Thanks for coming by Karen!