Monday Morning Musings:
In the last spring-like days of November
we handover without hand-touching, transferring
from our home shelf, bubble-wrapped and packed
this simple ceramic container—the squirrel
washed clear of contaminants, yet still filled
with memories. The moment is bittersweet—
we will not be together to celebrate, not like before when we ate,
and talked and laughed together, but here now, we walk
within autumn’s luscious light, as it slow-crawls to fall
and flame-tip leaves, we stroll through a golden glow
where horses trot, then canter, as we banter enchanted by the day–
stay these moments, sway the shadows from lengthening
as they have and will—
yet still, we reflect on this and that, the trill of birds,
the falling leaves, and plants that land upside down
in water, sparkling and shimmering
Bank Battlefield, ©️Merril D. Smith 2020
and through the glimmering, the geese soar
with a honk of greeting or farewell—and the smell
of autumn crisp with muddy undertones—
buried unknowns will bloom again come spring,
when perhaps once again we’ll go wandering,
and the weather will warm, the insects will swarm,
and butterflies will fly away
in the bright sunlight of longer days.
New Butterfly Mural at the Butterfly Garden at Red Bank Battlefield 
The butterfly that escaped from the mural. Butterfly Garden at Red Bank Battlefield
Those who follow my blog know all about our family’s Thanksgiving cranberry squirrel. My niece took over making it several years ago, a project she did with my mom every year. Our family will not be getting together for Thanksgiving this year, so I will only see the cranberry squirrel in photos and/or videos. The squirrel mold lives at my house, so we met sort of halfway to walk with masks on along Forbidden Drive along Wissahickon Creek. My mom loved to eat there at the Valley Green Inn.
Merril’s Movie Club: We watched the movie The Life Ahead (Netflix 2020), a new movie with Sophia Loren, directed by her son, Edoardo Ponti. It’s the story of woman, a Holocaust survivor, who cares for the children of prostitutes, and who takes in a Senegalese orphan. It could have been overly sentimental, but it wasn’t, largely due to the wonderful performances by Loren, the boy, and the rest of the cast. It’s a story of how families are formed from neighborhood people who care.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Beautiful pics and cheers to your family tradition – although this Thanksgiving will be different. Thanks for the movie recommendation.
Thank you, Frank.
I forgot to add we had homemade pizza and wine with it to fit the Italian setting. 😀 (The book was set in France, but this movie is set in the Italian port city of Bari.)
Gorgeous photos, Merril!
Thank you, Jill!
In a year filled with sadness, it’s comforting to know the squirrel will carry on. And wonderful photos as usual. (K)
Thanks so much, Kerfe.
Well, the squirrel will carry on at my niece’s house, but I won’t see it in person. 😔
Maybe next year we’ll all be together again.
My favorite phrase: “autumn’s luscious light,” which warms and then disappears as the setting sun claps shutters over the fading luminescence.
I will check out the Netflix movie you suggest. Thank you!
Thank you very much, Marian. The late afternoon light of autumn is extra special.
I hope you like the movie. Sophia Loren’s first one in ten years!
This line in particular resonated with me: “stay these moments, sway the shadows from lengthening.” The Deleware River is looking particuarly lovely with its could reflections.
Thank you very much, Liz. November always seems sort of a melancholy month to me as the days get darker and the trees lose their leaves. I’m glad you liked that photo. The river was stunning that day!
You’re welcome, Merril. Does the river change color with the time of day?
Yes, it seems to depend on how the sun is hitting it and the cloud cover, (or lack) too. I suppose also if it’s high or low tide because if it’s shallow or deep it probably looks different?
It would be interesting to set up a time-lapse camera to record the changing colors over the course of a day.
It would be interesting–though it won’t be done by me. 😏
😀 My husband and I attempted to capture the highest tides in the world with time lapse photography when we visited the Bay of Fundy. It was well beyond our skill level.
Yeah–WAY beyond mine! 🤣
😀
I love Mondays! And I came thisclose to watching that movie but am bingeing “The Crown” so it will wait 😉
Yes, as soon as I saw that dish, I thought of your last year’s celebration. We have to believe 2021 will be different.
Luscious language with much subtle rhyme. I might just have to watch The Life Ahead
Thank you very much, Derrick.
I hope you enjoy the movie. 😀
Oh I love that cloud reflections photo! Ethereal! I started to write a comment here on Monday and I lost internet. And my blog has gone weird again.
Thank you for coming back! That day the sky and river were an incredible sight.
It’s beautiful!
Thank you!
It is warm here in Tennessee. With the pandemic, I hope we have a mild winter so I can get out and walk/hike. Thanks for the movie recomendation.
You’re welcome.
It’s nice to know that the squirrel tradition lives on. It looks like it was a wonderful walk. I’ve been enjoying your walks and photos (on IG). 🙂
Thank you very much, Robin. 😀