Around the Corner ...

My brother Chuck reminded me last night that the holidays are just around the corner. I think I must have looked surprised when he reminded me that Thanksgiving is just about a month away. I can't believe that we are already 3 weeks into October. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, as we are being inundated everywhere we turn by Halloween candy and cheesy costumes -- but since they seem to put that stuff out sometime around the start of summer these days it just doesn't really serve as a good reminder of the time of year. Far better to go by the weather, right? Except that they have been forecasting snow for us here in Central Oregon since the start of autumn. (It hasn't happened yet, but there's always the threat of winter hitting us at any second -- screw the calendar).

As Brad and I were driving home from a trip to Bend to take in a film (Across the Universe -- go see it!) I noticed this tree and something about it spoke to me. I remember telling Brad when we lived in New England that I found bare trees depressing. Something about naked trees just filled me with a sadness I couldn't describe, still can't describe (and anyway he had always loved the starkness of the trees in winter, so even if I had found the words I wanted I don't think I would have been able to make him understand my sorrow). As we drove past this tree standing all alone in the middle of a construction site, I knew I had to photograph it. I found the shredded plastic clinging the the branches to be lovely -- as if it has come along specifically to cover the naked tree, to try to stave off the wintery chill that's just around the corner ...