Nature

Those Glowing Copper Ferns

51 Comments

A few days ago, I took a short walk up the road, looking for signs of autumn. In some ways, it was a melancholy walk as I remembered all the times I went out with my dog Liam, who would wait patiently as I took pictures. How I still miss that dog buddy!

I was looking for colorful leaves, and I did find some. However, there is still quite a bit of green; peak foliage is probably a week or two away.

Instead, what caught my eye, as I looked down, was the glowing copper of the ferns as they lit up the dark woods.

One of the great pleasures of living in the woods is that in every time of year there is something to notice. In Maine, the passing of the seasons is marked by exuberant new growth, fecundity, austereness, cold, stillness, and—if I’m to be honest—slush and mud. (I don’t want to give the impression that Maine is a state of unrelenting beauty. We have peak ugliness as well as peak foliage.)

After walking awhile and being dazzled by the ferns, I turned around and headed home. I noticed this tree stripping down to its essence, the first of many more bare trees to come.

Homebody that I am, even after a short walk, it is always a pleasure to return to our home nestled in the woods.

 

 

51 thoughts on “Those Glowing Copper Ferns”

  5. Sweet Liam will walk there with you in spirit Laurie, it’s lovely to connect with him in these moments 💜 The ferns look beautiful and it’s such a treat having a home in the forest 🙂💖🌲 xxx

  6. Lovely woodland photos. I searched back through your posts to find out about Liam and also read the reason why you aren’t taking on another dog . What a handsome boy he was – you must miss him terribly but you have some wonderful memories. I can’t imagine not having dogs but, I must admit, on those rare occasions i’m away from home, it is rather liberating to be able to go further and take longer and be spontaneous without worrying that you might have left the dog alone too long so I can totally understand your decision.

  7. Those ferns are spectacular. Our colors have been a bit muted here so far this year, but there’s still lots to come. I love this time of year in Maine. And doesn’t that chill in the air and fading light make home a lovely place to return to?

    Okay, it’s none of my business, but practically every dog lover I’ve known who decides not to get another dog for practical reasons, ends up with one eventually. There’s just nothing like the companionship of a dog. Said by someone who rarely travels anymore because I’d rather stay at my little at-home paradise with my furry dog buddies!

    1. Thanks, Brenda. As for dogs…I certainly get your point. But Clif and I travel all over Maine with our books, and our schedule just wouldn’t be good for a dog. Sigh.

  16. The colours in the forest are gorgeous.I love your house tucked into the forest, and there is no place like home I agree! We still miss our beloved and longest living dog, (14 years) but we do a lot of travelling now, and it just wouldn’t work if we had a dog. But I did read Brenda’s comment, and …well, we might think of another dog…… one day!

    1. Thanks! Hard to have a dog when you do a lot of traveling, even if it is in the area, the way we do. Right now, our lifestyle just doesn’t work with a dog. Sad, but if I don’t focus on my books now, when will I do it?

  17. The ferns are truly amazing–I haven’t seen those colors on ferns before. Our colors here must be near peak–I took a drive on Sunday and, even though it was overcast, I was stunned by the oranges and reds!

    1. Funny how you are ahead of us. Hope our leaves don’t fall too soon. It was a very dry September, and that affects the color. Love the way orange and red lights up even the dullest day.

  19. We’re barely seeing color now; it’s still some time away. But you’ve reminded me that I found ferns in the east Texas forests. They were quite a surprise, and it never had occurred to me that they might turn color as well. I guess I thought they’d just dry up and turn brown. Now I’m eager to find some time to go looking. There may be ferns in my world as wonderful as yours!

      1. Ah! that helps. I know of one spot where cinnamon ferns grow. I couldn’t sort them out when all the species were green, but I may be able to spot them now!

    1. Very nice! It looks as though the weather is good today. If it stays that way through the afternoon, I will be out and about with my wee camera for pictures for Friday’s post.

  21. Love the copper ferns and photos!🙂 We never have enough time with our dog buddies and their absence is felt in so many ways, but thankfully they fill our hearts and homes with so many wonderful memories during those special years.

    1. Yes, yes! Sigh. I still get a little weepy thinking about Liam. I suppose it’s because we don’t have another dog. The right decision for us, but the house feels empty—blah, even—without a dog buddy.

  24. What a lovely home you have, nestled into the woods. Your walks look breathtaking to me. I know the slush will come, but how lovely to have this introduction to autumn weather before the winter onslaught begins.

  25. The ferns are really glorious. I’m sorry you’re missing Liam. It is hard to be without them and hard too to walk as regularly as you would with them as companions, when you no longer have to think about their needs. Rusty ‘forced’ us to walk whether we wanted to or not.

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