Looking around with her appraising eye, she notices with satisfaction the leaves that were once a nourishing green, are slowly changing to deep russet, vivid orange, and perfect red.
"Perfect red?"A saucy chipmunk pops up from its burrow:
"Who said that? Perfect red? How can a colour be perfect?"
"Well then, how about blood? ruby? sanguinous?" answered Queen Mabon."Those adjectives are so worn out."
"All right, picture this - glowing red, friendly red, autumn red?
"That's a stretch!", retorted the naughty chipmunk.
"That's a stretch!", retorted the naughty chipmunk.
"O.K. smarty pants, instead of sassing me, tell me this - have you started gathering acorns for winter?"
"Of course! Do you think I need you to tell me what I've been doing instinctively for years??"
And with that, he popped back down into his burrow.
With a sigh of gentle patience, Queen Maeve turned her attention back to her immediate duties. Licking her finger in the time honoured, old fashioned way, She next tested the Air.
"Hmmm, cool and a little crispy, as it should be, but warmed with just the right amount of Sun - Perfect!"
Looking around, She noted with satisfaction that Lily of the Valley had transformed right on schedule. From Maidenly, delicate, white bells in the early Spring, to robust red berries of Autumn.
(don't look too closely at this pic or you'll see that the red berries are actually cherries and not Lily of the Valley berries, but I liked this pic immediately when I saw it).Rose also was showing her hips - red and luscious and inviting...
" Hmmm, well, I'll have to keep my eye on that one!" Maeve muttered to herself.
Queen Mabon looked around and smiled. Everything was as it should be. Animals scurried about, preparing for the cold winter months ahead. In the gardens, chives, lavender, basil, marigolds, pansies (among others) were busily sowing their seeds for next spring's crop of herbs and flowers. She turned her face upwards, to scan the sky; looking for that last sign that the Wheel of the Year was indeed turning - that it hadn't gotten stuck in the mud, or broken a spoke along the way.
And then she heard them. Softly at first, but unmistakable.... the honking
of Canada geese, flying South to warmer lands; their distinctive V-formation marking their journey through the Sky.
And when Swirling Mists began their Work of dampening and softening the landscape, Mabon knew her work was complete. Autumn had arrived on time - to meet the Fall Equinox. She sighed and let down her hair - all was in order...for now..... and yet her Work had only just begun, for Samhain was already tugging impatiently at her skirts...
