Coming of Winter

New England is in full bloom. 

The sugar maples, the most brilliant of all the reds, 

are decked out in their best, 

waiting for their long winter- white sleep robes. 

Their slumber will be abruptly shaken 

when the temperatures rise above freezing during the day 

and dip below freezing at night. 

That's the time when their sap runs, the blood of the sugar maples.

The mighty oaks stand proudly 

and are the last to salute winter's arrival. 

Even when the first snow falls, 

their leaves hang on for dear life, to every high twig. 

Under Mother Nature's order, 

the oaks then release the last yellow-brown leaves

 that drift 

slowly 

slowly 

to crusty blankets of snow.

The fields of Black eye Susan splashy flowers

 have transformed into brown seed laden balls.

Rich food for the flock of Goldfinches, 

that flutter from ball to ball, 

and rise up

in a yellow haze when startled. 

Chestnut and black striped chirpers,

 the chatty chipmunks 

scurry to

gather hazel nuts

and acorns

to fatten themselves for the onset of winter. 

The mountains are ablaze. 

Reds, yellows, 

crimsons and purples.

Splashes on nature's palette

Trees waving their last goodbyes

As they celebrate the coming of

Winter.

Ruth