This is my favourite time of year — the months of September, October and even November. And yes, I usually call it Fall, not Autumn. Apparently this is a bit of a dilemma for us Canadians. As the article says, “autumn,” in conversation anyway, sounds a bit pretentious to my ear. Like so many English words, these came to the language from two sources — “autumn” apparently from Etruscan via Latin, and “fall” from a Germanic source (although in German, the season is “Herbst,” from words relating to “harvest”).
OK, “fall” sounds a bit blunt. “The fall of the year,” however, sounds poetic, elegiac and exactly right for this season of downgoing.
Anyway, now that the days are warm instead of hot, and we’ve had a little rain, and the late-blooming flowers are out in force, I’ve been running around the garden, snapping pictures. They’re the same scenes I’ve delighted in photographing for years, but when I see the witch hazel turning rusty gold, and a haze of purple asters with contrasting pink nerines, I can’t resist doing it again.
Pond area, late afternoon.
Purple aster, nerines and senecio.
“Pink Cloud” aster and fading peony foliage.
Nerines, plumbago and senecio foliage.
Plumbago and santolina.
“Monch” aster, blue fescue and “Jack Frost” brunnera.
Audrey Driscoll's Blog 
I grew up with ‘Autumn’ in Australia, but after 12 years here in Canada, ‘Fall’ is winning out. 🙂
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I’m not surprised. Hardly anyone says “autumn” here, except for people from other realms.
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We call it autumn in NZ – but, just now, we’re heading into spring (I hope – topsy-turvy weather patterns permitting…).
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Spring is often somewhat spasmodic. Last April (early spring here) we had some days of 30 degrees — Centigrade!
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I love the mantle that Autumn spreads over the land with all the warm colours though the warmth is actually leaving. Sorry, I think Autumnal colours sounds much better than Fall colours.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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You’re right — “autumnal colours” does sound better. The article I linked to did mention that it’s preferred when two syllables are needed, rather than the single one of “fall.”
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I can relate to fall rather than autumn. Fall is much more descriptive – when the maple and oak leaves start coming down. We have several large trees in and around our yard, and I’ll make several trips to the yard before the trees are bare.
On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 7:28 PM, Audrey Driscoll’s Blog wrote:
> Audrey Driscoll posted: “This is my favourite time of year — the months > of September, October and even November. And yes, I usually call it Fall, > not Autumn. Apparently this is a bit of a dilemma for us Canadians. As the > article says, “autumn,” in conversation anyway, sounds a b” >
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Indeed. My compost heap overflows.
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This time of year we start to get evenings when the light becomes very strong but diffuse, as if someone has applied a soft focus filter.
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I suppose it’s because of the angle of the sunlight at this time — maybe it has to pass through a greater thickness of atmosphere (or something). I have to say I’m rather fond of cloudy, misty weather after a summer’s worth of bright sunlight.
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Sun can be very low in the mornings and evenings. Mist adds an unbeatable atmosphere to a landscape.
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Agreed!
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