Ruby Vine and Scarlet Acer

The Vine on the terrace, that gave so abundantly this year is all but bare. Just a few, bunches of grapes, too high or awkwardly placed, cling there, getting ready to rot on the woody framework that looks rather skeletal now. The vine leaves that were a vibrant green have transitioned through yellow into veiny ruby tones, then crisp and brown and discarded, they fell. The sea of ferns that amass the flower beds are dulling down but the profusion of Japanese acer’s have suddenly, visually exploded into the reddest scarlet as the leaves prepare to drop to the soil and perish with the rest of the autumnal detritus. This season is preparing for the big sleep of winter. Like my earlier story on leaf fall, this time of year is reflective and there is an ultimate beauty in the death of summer.