Fall is here, again

(Japanese maples in our garden)

Whenever fall (autumn) comes around I always feel so surprised. I have been waiting for it, longing for clear sky fall days and colored leaves, but it always sneak up on you while you were planning to do a little more harvesting in the garden or a little more yardwork. But now it is here, and the geraniums and tropical fern is taken in from the porch, only a few tomatoes and peppers are left in the garden, and the leaves are accumulating. Most trees still have their leaves, but they are not mainly green anymore. One morning I woke up with a Finnish-Swedish song on my head called Höstvisa (Autumn song), with lyrics written by Moomintroll-author Tove Jansson. I love the lyrics, and the sadness and hope it portrays. It is about human relationships as well as the end of summer. Here is just a little piece of it:

Nu blåser storm därute och stänger sommarns dörr,

det är för sent för att undra och leta.

Jag älskar kanske mindre än vad jag gjorde förr

men mer än du nånsin får veta.

Nu ser vi alla fyrar kring höstens långa kust

och hör vågorna villsamma vandra.

En enda sak är viktig och det är hjärtats lust

och att få vara samman med varandra.

Skynda dej älskade, skynda att älska,

dagarna mörknar minut för minut.

Tänd våra ljus, det är nära till natten,

snart är den blommande sommaren slut.

Loose translation in English:

Now storms are blowing outside and the door to summer closed,
and it is too late to worry and search.

I might be loving less than I did before,

but more than you will ever know.

Now we see all the lighthouses along autumn's long coast,

and hear how the waves are wandering.

Only one thing is important and that is the will of the heart

and to be together with each other.

Hurry my darling, hurry to love,

The days are getting darker minute by minute.

Light our candles, it is soon nighttime,

soon is the flowering summer gone.