Ha-ha, we’ve finally put on our warm autumn jackets.
The leaves have finally turned yellow, and the season of beautiful Ontario scenery has begun.
We’ve finally fully embraced autumn.
It spoiled us with warmth for a long time this year, but its arrival was inevitable.
And here we are again in that wonderful season of nature’s red, yellow, and brown palette.
I have a watermelon harvest! Don’t laugh—it’s still ripening; it’s 10 cm in diameter, and I’m keeping a close eye on it. It started growing in mid-August. I mean, really? According to the Canadian calendar, September brings night frosts that simply kill off everything sunny and summery. Yet, it just kept growing. The birds, the rabbit, and the mice scurrying through the garden didn’t touch it. And look, it made it. For me, this is a record—both in terms of timing (thanks to the weather) and the plant itself (watermelons don’t usually grow in Ontario). Although, as you can see, there are exceptions. The Mexicans—they set the standard here.
In Ontario, watermelons are usually imported from Mexico and the southern US.
I also have amazing tomatoes this year. They put out their blossoms in late July, and they are still blooming vigorously on strong stalks right now. They’re growing straight out of the ground. The spot where they grow is sheltered from the wind and direct sunlight. There are two bushes of them, growing right out of the earth. And they are blooming. Well then. It’s getting colder, and I’m preparing for winter; the last mushrooms of the season—honey fungi—have appeared in the woods, a sure sign that late autumn is here. For now, though, I’m still being treated to these flowers in my garden. Tomato blossoms.
Some might find that funny—especially those who bask in the warm, sultry summer sun all year round.
It was warm here this past year, but sunshine was a rarity—it was just… sunless. That happens sometimes.
And it was extremely humid—something that sets our climate apart from previous years. I don’t recall a summer like this during my entire time in Canada.
One also has to appreciate the wonders of our natural world.
Marigolds bring a special vibrancy and beauty to this season.
Mine have been blooming for two years now. I’ve seen so many varieties in the city—small ones, bushy ones, and huge, multicolored ones. Mine are the traditional Ukrainian kind. Of course, they aren’t quite like the ones in Chicago—I saw a photo from friends showing a bush as tall as a person. Mine are more modest. But they are bright. And I share this beauty with you, my readers.
As the season of falling leaves approaches…
I want to give thanks for all the gifts this year has brought me. Thank you for the changes in my life; I am a student again, pursuing my beloved profession of psychology.
Thank you for the knowledge I’ve gathered into a small book for children. I wrote several new stories and submitted them to contests just yesterday. Thank you for the knowledge of Petrykivka painting; I am preparing for the winter season and painting on wood once more. Thank you for everything around me, for those who live nearby and help me, and for the moments of joy I experience every day.
Thank you.