A Blaze of Glory

The middle of October in Saint Louis is a time when nature shows forth its magnificent beauty before the dreary weather of November. October, along with April, are the hinges of the year and are the best times of year to be in town, with moderate temperatures and beautiful natural color.

The beginning of the month can occasionally be hot and almost summer-like, while by All Hallow's Eve, the cold north winds have already blown the leaves off of the trees, and morning frost has become familiar. The end of Daylight Saving Time on the last Sunday in October psychologically ends any notion that the warm days of the year can linger on: commuters suddenly drive back from work in darkness.

The natural seasons complement the liturgical seasons; as darkness falls over the hemisphere, the liturgy also turns dark. After the Glorious feast of All Saints on November 1^st, the liturgy of Church quickly becomes somber with All Souls Day, with the reminder that we must pray for the departed, and reflect on final things. The darkness continues until about the shortest day of the year when we have the spark of newborn brightness of Christmas Day.

But before the dark of winter descends, nature gives us a final blaze of color and beauty, and the richness of the harvest.

For a beautiful reflection on the month of October, see the First Post For Hallowmas over at Recta Ratio.











































The following photos were taken about a week ago at Marais Temps Clair (Fair Weather Marsh), just south of Portage des Sioux, Missouri.

















The following photos were taken at Rombach Farms in the Chesterfield Valley of Saint Louis County, Missouri.