Autumn is one of my favorite times of the year, when all the hard work a gardener has done over the year culminates in wonderful flavors and colors and textures and scents. I’m always at my busiest, most energetic self at this time of the year. The bustle of back to school, fall planting, harvest, the brisk chill in the air, always infuse me with some sort of elixir that quickens my pace, like a squirrel listening to the approaching steps of winter.

I’ve been very busy in the garden, planting gleanings from my mother’s and sister’s gardens, bulbs, harvesting and savoring the last sunny days. Today’s rain is a perfect moment to stop, plan, run errands and hole up in the studio.

I had more good news this week: My painting “Truly, Madly, Deeply” was accepted for the Northwest Watercolor Society’s Waterworks Exhibition which opens October 12. Today I will be tracking down plexi-glass for framing the two exhibition paintings.

'Truly, Madly, Deeply' copyright Ruth Armitage 22x15"

I am preparing to judge the Southwest Washington Watercolor Association’s Exhibition next month, as well as preparing my seminars for the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s Convention coming up next weekend. I said goodbye to my son yesterday as he set off for his third year of college. How does that happen? One day they are getting on the bus to kindergarten, the next they are driving off to another part of the state! Blink of an eye.

O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain’d
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou may’st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.

“The narrow bud opens her beauties to
The sun, and love runs in her thrilling veins;
Blossoms hang round the brows of Morning, and
Flourish down the bright cheek of modest Eve,
Till clust’ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And feather’d clouds strew flowers round her head.

“The spirits of the air live in the smells
Of fruit; and Joy, with pinions light, roves round
The gardens, or sits singing in the trees.”
Thus sang the jolly Autumn as he sat,
Then rose, girded himself, and o’er the bleak
Hills fled from our sight; but left his golden load.

To Autumn

William Blake (from Poetical Sketches, 1783)

Don’t forget to plan a day to visit me October 8, 9 & 10 for Open Studios of Beavercreek!  And it is not to late to sign up for my Focus on Color workshop 🙂 Remember my offers from this post.