The base I live on is rather small and not largely populated, but still it can be hard to find a quiet spot free of troops drilling, or people fishing and walking their dogs; I'm even leery of the occasional hunter. So, it was nice to discover this field without fences where no one else seems to go that I can wander in quiet privacy. It's wonderful to be alone in nature as the sun is setting--just to watch the light shift and see birds wing across a golden turning pink sky. Soon cooler weather will drive most casual visitors and noisy birds away. Last year I felt as if the beach near my house belonged to me, as I was the only one who claimed possession of it when it was twenty degrees and the wind was whipping hard against your face. No other footsteps followed mine when I cut a path across it in the snow on a bright December day. Soon, I hope to claim small corners of this base as well--places where no one else will venture once the temperatures drop, but still hold beauty to me.
Outfit details:
thrifted skirt
Marais USA loafers
Rebecca Minkoff backpack
It's actually been a couple of years since I've seen such gorgeous fall foliage. In Washington it rained so much that almost everything stayed green and most of the trees in near my home weren't deciduous. Then last fall we lived near the beach and while we certainly experience the chill of fall weather with wind and snow, the land was flat and once again colorful greenery was sparse. Now, driving down quiet roads while the trees seem to flame around me is a quiet pleasure.
Come late fall I'm never to be found without a cozy knit within reach. Around the house (and even on occasion on road trips) I keep a blanket handy. Partly because I get cold but also perhaps fleeting days and skeletal trees make me feel in need of some comfort. Certain sweaters and fabrics can hug you like a best friend.
It's funny how we celebrate all these leaf-y deaths each fall; playing in their mass graves and gleefully crunching them underfoot. We have no respect for the colorful corpses--making them unwilling models in so many photographs. But the beauty they cast with their last breaths is undeniable...
