Monday, October 1, 2007


October's Bright Blue Weather

by Helen Hunt Jackson

O sun and skies and clouds of June
And flowers of June together,
Ye cannot rival for one hour
October's bright blue weather;

When loud the bumblebee makes haste,
Belated, thriftless vagrant,
And goldenrod is dying fast,
And lanes with grapes are fragrant;

When gentians roll their fringes tight,
To save them for the morning,
And chestnuts fall from satin burs
Without a sound of warning;

When on the ground red apples lie
In piles like jewels shining,
And redder still on old stone walls
Are leaves of woodbine twining;

When all the lovely wayside things
Their white-winged seeds are sowing,
And in the fields, still green and fair,
Late aftermaths are growing;

When springs run low, and on the brooks
In idle, golden freighting,
Bright leaves sink noiseless in the hush
Of woods, for winter waiting;

When comrades seek sweet country haunt
By twos and twos together,
And count like misers hour by hour
October's bright blue weather.

O sun and skies and flowers of June,
Count all your boasts together,
Love loveth best of all the year
October's bright blue weather.

NOTES AND QUESTIONS

Biography

Helen Hunt Jackson (1831-1885) was an American poet and novelist. She was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, where her father was a professor in Amherst College, but she spent much of her life in California. She married a banker in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she lived for a few years. Her poems are very beautiful, and "September" and "October's Bright Blue Weather" are especially good pictures of these autumn months.


Did I mention I ADORE October? We are busy with hay rack rides and cook-outs at the in-laws river, Thursday night football games, constant homework, and the general antics of puppies, kittens, and rats, and children. My anniversary is tomorrow, nineteen years (I love you, Fred :)). My birthday is the 18th. Sometimes busy is good!

Is there an especially busy time in your life, or does October , the beginning of our holiday flurry, signal an increase in activity for everyone? Do you enjoy the ritual of it all, or simply look forward to the blissful quiet of January?

14 comments:

Carey Baldwin said...

I am almost as big a Fall Colors junkie as I am a Wildflowers junkie. I adore October!

Unknown said...

October is my favorite month too (also an October baby---today, as a matter of fact!). Happy anniversary! Happy birthday in ten days, because I'll forget.

October in Maine is spectacular, almost enough to make up for the snow/freeze that will come sooner than I'd like.

Gillian Layne said...

Hi India :)

Happy Bday, Maggie! I thought Maine in June was gorgeous,so Oct. must be stunning.

Anonymous said...

Blissful quiet of January? I haven't had blissful quiet any month since I gave birth - in October 13 years ago.

Gillian Layne said...

Poor Alice! We still have blessed moments of peace around here--everyone loves to read.

I wish you all could see out my french doors right now--brilliant blue does not do this sky justice today! And it's only 66 degrees, bliss :)

skirbo said...

Gillian, I'm so glad to find you blogging! I obviously have one, but have ignored it for sulking in a corner for the past few months. I did post an update today though.

For what it is worth, I get fall fever rather than spring fever. Even though we don't get *much* of a break, it is cooling off some here in Florida.

I'll hopefully be around more, but I'm so glad to find your blog. Blogs are a great way to keep up (and catch up, in my case) with absent friends.

Sarah

skirbo said...

Incidentally, I just changed my display name to the recognizable skirbo, rather than blahblahbiddyblog. Just so you know who I am without having to scratch your head and think about it.

Sarah

doglady said...

Hey, Gillian. Love the poem and love this time of year WHEN it actually becomes fall-like. In Alabama that is never a sure thing. Tonight I actually had to turn my heater on for a bit. YAY! With a little luck I will have to have a fire in my fireplace by Christmas. One of the few things I like about this trailer is the fireplace! Life will get very hectic in the bakery from now until after Valentine's Day actually. Speaking of valentines, Happy Anniversary to you and the DH. I am so happy for you! Oh and Happy Birthday the 18th, just in case I forget!!

Gillian Layne said...

Sarah, how wonderful to hear from you! Florida is so beautiful, it's alright that it only cools a little.

Hi Louisa :) It does get busy for you now, doesn't it? The double-edge sword of the holidays.

Renee said...

I don't love fall until it starts getting cooler. I find sweater weather very appealing.

Our live get busy starting in September with soccer and it runs until May when it is all over. I look forward to the holidays and the baking smells.

My ds's birthday was the 6th, my father's the 11th, my brother's the 13th and my nephew's on the 30th. Thankfully we only do one family celebration get together thing.

Have a wonderful birthday, and I hope you had a great anniversary.

Carey Baldwin said...

Psst...there's something interesting happening over at Tessa's place!

Gillian Layne said...

OMG!
I went to bed too early, didn't I?

Jill Monroe said...

This was beautiful!

Gillian Layne said...

Why, thank you Jill! Feel free to stop by any time :)