The scent of autumn

Orange Leaves in the foothills. 2021

The leaves crunch under my feet as I walk through the small wooded area near my house. I breathe in deep. Yes, I had forgotten the scent of autumn. It has a particular scent brought on by the leaves changing colour, and falling down to the ground in deep layers. Light and crispy they are easily kicked up as I walk through. This is a new place for me from a recent move, and its been a while since I’ve inhaled this fragrance. Slightly woodsy, but without the depth of smell that bark has. This scent tends to sit on the surface more. I had forgotten. In Ireland, mostly I walked through grassy fields and rocky surfaces. ​

Limestone rock and grass, Ireland, 2017

          While there are wooded areas, they aren’t a focus, as Ireland was mostly deforested a long time ago. Living in the Burren, we relished the limestone craggy moonlike surfaces, and we were continuously hit with the cool menthol air from the ocean. However autumn lacked the same luster and celebration that it does here in Canada. Why bother celebrating autumn in Ireland? Summer simply slips into fall with a subtle tonal differences. Suddenly as you look around you notice that the leaves are gone, but the grass is still green. How did I even miss it? You wonder.

Alberta rose bush in fiery glory, 2021

In Alberta, this fall in particular the foothills were vibrant with colour. Most of the trees here turn yellow instead of red or orange, but the grasses and shrubs are all aglow with the most spectacular colours that would make gemstones pale in comparison. However, its all for a short while until the snow flies. ​