28 Comments
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Deborah Gregory's avatar

Ralph, I love how your beautiful poem and rich images carry the hush, colour and shimmer of this turning season ... each verse a gentle invocation of release, remembrance and the deep beauty of letting go. Thanks so much for honouring this threshold with such grace; may your Samhain be richly blessed and quietly luminous. May it be so. 🙏💖🕯️

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thank you so much for your kind words, Deborah, and likewise. Ours will be definitely not quiet, I'm afraid. We're down in Manchester to see Duran Duran this evening at the Co-op Arena🎼🎹🥁🎤🎸😏

Deborah Gregory's avatar

Oh how wonderful! Enjoy every moment! Just beware those Mancunian ghosts! Boo! 👻👻👻

Ralph Turner's avatar

Yes, I hear they're a scary lot... 😱😂

Deborah Gregory's avatar

😁👻🕯️

Lin Gregory's avatar

Haha...I hope you will be suitably attired in your New Romantic gear!😂 Have a lovely time!

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thanks, Lin. Good grief, if I donned that kind of attire I'd be scaring the ghosts away! 🤣

Lin Gregory's avatar

😱👻🤣

Mark Foard's avatar

Your photos and your poem are wonderful, Ralph. Really well done 👍🏻

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Mark, much appreciated..

Todd Haughton's avatar

Lovely ode to autumn, Ralph! Your beautiful images and poem are a wonderful way to celebrate this season, my favorite time of year.

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Todd, much appreciated 🙂

Vincent Wagenaar's avatar

This is just fantastic, Ralph! These photos share a colorful and contrasty look and are quiet at the same time. It's quite rare to have such unity in a series with photos that weren't all shot the same way.

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Vincent. If I remember correctly these were taken in our old back garden where we used to live in North Yorkshire.

KewtieBird’s Photo Journey's avatar

Just perfect for the season

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thank you very much! ☺️

Lin Gregory's avatar

This is beautiful Ralph, encapsulating the richly coloured 'last hurrah' that is happening all around us and honouring the letting go as darkness descends at this sacred time. Wishing you and Irene a blessed Samhain.🙏🏻🍂🧡

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks for your kind words, Lin, and likewise 🙏🍃🍂🍁🧡

Paul John Dear's avatar

Love the poem and the tre planting setiment and of course the photos.

Oíche Shamhna shona duit. (Irish for Happy Samhain)

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Paul. I'd love to hear how those wonderful words really sound (rather than how it reads in my head in my ignorance of Gaelic🥴).

Paul John Dear's avatar

You're welcome Ralph. I have only begun learning the language at the young age of 62, so would not trust my pronunciation at all. Try this link https://inirish.bitesize.irish/how-to-say/9339-oiche-shamhna-shona-duit#:~:text=Happy%20Halloween%20to%20you%20%2D%20In%20Irish%20%2D%20Listen%20to%20pronunciation%20here

Ralph Turner's avatar

Thank you for the link. It's softer and more lyrical sounding than I thought it would be, vaguely Scandinavian. Good luck with the ongoing learning process. My capacity for learning other languages isn't too hot, I'm afraid - not good, as I'm half German, yet only know the meaning of a handful of words and the odd sentence or two.

Paul John Dear's avatar

It is a soft and lyrical language indeed. I have no pretensions that I might become fluent but I have already acquired enough to offer a morning blessing to the sun, the land, my ancestors and the deer who wander in this place. A good beginning. It is surprising hat we can do with just a handful of words. 🙏✨

Ralph Turner's avatar

A fine beginning, indeed. Speaking of deer, are blessed with their presence in our garden, particularly at present. They are able to wander through from the forest plantation at the back and feast on this year's abundance of acorns from the wondrous ancients that live with us🌳 🦌🌞

Ralph Turner's avatar

Many thanks, Dave 🙂

Dave Mead's avatar

Words and images that complement each other so well. Thanks for sharing, Ralph.