Problem
I love the autumn colours but forget and regret the arrival of autumn in England; yet in America, we loved autumn, because we could take a trip up and down the east coast to see the swathes of trees in the Fall colours. Because the north is colder than the south, the Fall starts earlier in the north. We lived in Rockville, Maryland, just north of Washington DC, and read that the Fall had started in the North. So we drove north until we reached the Fall colours. We spent a long weekend or week there. As we drove south, the trees were turning to Fall colours further South.
Novelty Pumpkins
Pumpkin time means piles of pumpkins in America. Last year, 2016, for the first time I saw pumpkins everywhere in supermarkets in England.
Exotic Fruit
As a child in Britain in the 1950s I had never seen a pumpkin. I read about them but they were exotic fruit in post-war Britain which had had rationing until 1952. I remember my late mother talking for years afterwards about how she met her friend Sylvia in a banana queue, and my mother's excitement at being able to buy a fresh peach, and how I had been so disappointed that it was not as sweet and soft and bright orange as a tinned peach in sugar syrup.
Autumn Poems
Today I read on the BBC page about poems on autumn. Why didn't I write about Autumn? Why didn't I capture autumn colours in poems every year!
Poem Year Book
Poet Alison Chisholm, who edits poetry books and runs courses at Writers' Holiday in Wales and Swanwick Writers Sumer School in Derbyshire, suggests that we keep a poetry diary for the year and add seasonal poems.
Now is the time to start a poetry book, with a poem on autumn colours, and take a photo of colours in your area, your city's or country's landmarks, and those of places you visit on weekend trips, holidays or business.
Here's mine:
Autumn Green Turned To Gold
by Angela Lansbury
The leaves have turned from green to gold
Warm mid-day, chill breeze, nights grown cold
Storms mean you stay indoors to play
So treasure every sunny day
As daylight fades, outside we run
To catch our daily dose of sun
Leaves fill the roads, the paths, the park
The days are short, headlights - it's dark
Look up, mouth open, upturned head
And see leaves contrast green and red
Clothes match the season, yellow, brown
The country calls us from the town
To drive along the country roads
Envy gabled, peaceful abodes
Surrounded, in our autumn break
By trees reflected in the lake
We see trees far away and near
Sense season's wave, crescendo year
Eat pumpkin, take great photograph
Children kick leaves, delighted, laugh.
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury 2017 October.
Autumn/Fall Trips
Italy - shoulder season, November is the rainiest month. But, prices have fallen, and fewer crowds.
More information from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b095qcjt (BBC autumn poems and Fall photos)
https://www.visitusa.org.uk/blogs/article.aspx?pname=7-autumn-adventures-in-the-USA&blog
http://www.st-petersburg-essentialguide.com/autumn-in-st-petersburg.html
https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/wheres-best-see-autumn-colour-england-and-wales#MJjRtohJv5rzrzJR.97
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
I love the autumn colours but forget and regret the arrival of autumn in England; yet in America, we loved autumn, because we could take a trip up and down the east coast to see the swathes of trees in the Fall colours. Because the north is colder than the south, the Fall starts earlier in the north. We lived in Rockville, Maryland, just north of Washington DC, and read that the Fall had started in the North. So we drove north until we reached the Fall colours. We spent a long weekend or week there. As we drove south, the trees were turning to Fall colours further South.
Novelty Pumpkins
Pumpkin time means piles of pumpkins in America. Last year, 2016, for the first time I saw pumpkins everywhere in supermarkets in England.
Exotic Fruit
As a child in Britain in the 1950s I had never seen a pumpkin. I read about them but they were exotic fruit in post-war Britain which had had rationing until 1952. I remember my late mother talking for years afterwards about how she met her friend Sylvia in a banana queue, and my mother's excitement at being able to buy a fresh peach, and how I had been so disappointed that it was not as sweet and soft and bright orange as a tinned peach in sugar syrup.
Autumn Poems
Today I read on the BBC page about poems on autumn. Why didn't I write about Autumn? Why didn't I capture autumn colours in poems every year!
Poem Year Book
Poet Alison Chisholm, who edits poetry books and runs courses at Writers' Holiday in Wales and Swanwick Writers Sumer School in Derbyshire, suggests that we keep a poetry diary for the year and add seasonal poems.
Now is the time to start a poetry book, with a poem on autumn colours, and take a photo of colours in your area, your city's or country's landmarks, and those of places you visit on weekend trips, holidays or business.
Here's mine:
Autumn Green Turned To Gold
by Angela Lansbury
The leaves have turned from green to gold
Warm mid-day, chill breeze, nights grown cold
Storms mean you stay indoors to play
So treasure every sunny day
As daylight fades, outside we run
To catch our daily dose of sun
Leaves fill the roads, the paths, the park
The days are short, headlights - it's dark
Look up, mouth open, upturned head
And see leaves contrast green and red
Clothes match the season, yellow, brown
The country calls us from the town
To drive along the country roads
Envy gabled, peaceful abodes
Surrounded, in our autumn break
By trees reflected in the lake
We see trees far away and near
Sense season's wave, crescendo year
Eat pumpkin, take great photograph
Children kick leaves, delighted, laugh.
-ends-
Copyright Angela Lansbury 2017 October.
Autumn/Fall Trips
Italy - shoulder season, November is the rainiest month. But, prices have fallen, and fewer crowds.
More information from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b095qcjt (BBC autumn poems and Fall photos)
https://www.visitusa.org.uk/blogs/article.aspx?pname=7-autumn-adventures-in-the-USA&blog
http://www.st-petersburg-essentialguide.com/autumn-in-st-petersburg.html
https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/wheres-best-see-autumn-colour-england-and-wales#MJjRtohJv5rzrzJR.97
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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