Winter Came Early . . .

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Just a few days later
After photographing the chinese lanterns
For the first time (in previous post)
After discovering their existence
The snows came
To give them white coverings
While I lamented
The passing of autumn
Before its time
But even the cold crystaline snow
Could not put out their fire
So they shall be my emblem
In the coming cold months
These glowing magic lanterns
With a halo of snow
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Even on the smallest place of purchase
The snow crystals piled up improbably
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We hadn't had time to prune the hortensias
As we do carefully every fall
But the fall has fallen into the cold dark abyss
Of long winter nights
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A cold green steel fence caught the snow
Where I left our garden
And wandered off into the woods
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In the woods there were magical visions
Of snow barely clinging
To leaves not yet gone brown
A cruel winter who comes before her time
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I wandered further into the woods
On the winding path the wild boars use
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One red leaf hung on hopefully to thoughts of fall glory
Blazing reds and golds now buried in ice
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Despite some of your generous offers for Noisette's fur from the last post, as she huddled on the porch in the cold afternoon, she decided she would rather put it to good use herself . . . staying warm. Even the carnations here in the foreground were caught by surprise in the snow, almost ready for one last late bloom... frozen in the bud.
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