I’ve always liked;
No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heraclitus
The same is true of autumn. Just now the autumn colours are lovely round here – hardly spectacular but wonderful in an understated English way – simply lovely.
When I worked at the RSPB I was lucky enough almost throughout my career to have offices which looked out on the gardens and in at least three cases to look out on trees with spectacular autumn foliage. But you had to catch it on the right days, with the sun, with the leaves just right, and in a short window. Today’s spectacular autumn colours which looked as if tomorrow’s might be simply perfect might come to nothing after a windy night which dumped all those leaves on the grass below the tree (itself an attractive pattern) and that was it for nearly 12 months.
As I drove through Higham Ferrers and Rushden the other day (on my way to murmurating Starlings) there were several beautiful sights – although you have to be alert to them. I enjoyed them and I won’t pass that way again for several days and the autumn will be a diffferent one after that time passes, although I don’t think I will be a very different man (my strengths and faults are pretty much ingrained by now).
Enjoy, today, each beautiful tree you see today. Because tomorrow its beauty may be lessened and tomorrow you will be a different person.
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They’ll get you writing the Guardian Country Diary next, Mark. Lovely, thank you.