Autumn in Western NY. Gold and Bronze. Time of Reflection.

                       Letchworth State Park: 10/28/2021. Photo by Meghan Rose Tonery

This week (10/23-10/31)began with rain, teeming rain, day into night, into the next day; rain swelling the creeks to overflowing. The foliage this year is gold, bright yellow, and bronze, with dashes of red.  It hasn't been cold enough for the leaves to be dazzling as in the past. However, the season is upon us. The harvest, nearly done.  Storage cupboards and freezers full. We are grateful for this year's many gifts.   I imagine, in winter, when the wind is howling  over Lake Ontario and the snow is fall like arrows, we will be happy to have toast with a dollop of  our Fair Weather Strawberry Jam.  We will close our eyes and savor the taste of summer.

 

                          October's Field of Sunflowers, Route 19, entering Pavillon NY,

                                                                                 Photo: Meghan Rose Tonery

This has been a season of looking over my shoulder, wanting to take stock in where I have been and where I am going, still going.  I am at a point in my life where everything counts or is being counted, and I don't want to miss those moments of solitude, of taking an easy breath, of standing in a forest, or on a hillside, or in a field, with my arms loose at my sides, and think, This is it. 

 

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                  And, the Big Chair was Just Right!  Photo: Meghan Rose Tonery

With real effort and determination, channeling the seven-year-old inside of me, I climbed     up this Big Chair on the grounds near Letchworth Dam. Sitting in this chair, I felt connected to all the others who have climbed up and sat here for a minute or two, or more. There was a warning sign: Do not hang off the back of chair; do not hang off of the arms. But, no warning not to sit here. 

What a thrill to climb up gracefully into this perfect seat.  Queen for a minute.  Then, Meghan asked me how I was going to get down. I thought for a moment ( it was quite a drop to the ground) and decided to re-trace my steps.  Ta-da!  Home free.

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Good News came on October 19th, 2021. Foothills Publishing (Michael and Carolyn Czarnecki, publishers, editors, producers) accepted my 100-word story chapbook: Rock. Paper. Scissors., which features twenty-four 100-word stories. I am so grateful to them, for believing in my work these many years. 

 

 

    Letchworth State Park. Photo by Meghan Rose Tonery