Pages

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Destination: Summer's End

WELCOME TO POETRY FRIDAY

As host of this week's Roundup, I invite you to look backward to reflect on the mid-September days when the winds of change finally arrived. Overwhelmed by daytime heat and shortened nights, weather patterns slowed down into a rhythmic pattern during the last days of summer. Nature, dressed in sun-bleached colors, gifted earth with crisp coolness, followed by sunkissed skies. Butterflies danced among flowers and worker bees diligently collected nectar for winter storage. 

Life at the end of summer fell into place bringing a day of sunshine and mild weather for our community trip to the historic Hillwood Gardens in Washington, D.C. Hillwood mansion and gardens capture the vision of heiress, entrepreneur, socialite, philanthropist, and collector, Marjorie Merriweather Post, who rebuilt the estate during the 1950s era. The mansion showcases Marjorie Post's collection of 18th-19th-century French art and art treasures from Imperial Russia. There are thirteen acres of gardens full of summer flowers standing erect and posing for their guests while gardeners tend their care. Our tour through the specialty gardens was impressive. My favorite was the Japanese Garden area which was filled with tiers of cascading waters and lush vegetation that provides a Zen-like atmosphere. In the different gardens, there was a sense of harmony and peace in the air.  
"To say it was a beautiful day would not begin to explain it. It was that day when the end of summer intersects perfectly with the start of fall." -Ann Patchett
summer ends
whispers goodbye
to longer days of active moments,
oppressive heat, drought, or heavy rains
moving on
transforming gently
into fall
©CVarsalona, 2023, trinet 
 
Have you savored the radiance and energy of summertime mixed with relaxation and renewal? Have you documented special summer days in photography or writing? 
INVITATION

If interested, add your artistic expression to my Destination-Summer's End Padlet where I plan to showcase a variety of adult and children's poems in a gallery format. Add your end-of-summer creation to the padlet here


Then, continue reading and following the directions to add your blog link so others can visit your blog post. 

salted sands, sunny shores
sacred sites for inner peace
summer slips away
©CVarsalona, 2023
🌞
"Nature is the purest portal to inner peace."
-Angie Weilan Crosby
🌞
Writers, Poets, Bloggers 
Are you ready to join the Poetry Friday Roundup?
Sign in below to add your link so others can visit your blog post. 

Visitors, comments are Welcome.
(Send questions to cvarsalona at gmail)

Photo by CVarsalona, 2023
Hillwood Gardens

49 comments:

  1. Thanks Carol, for this lovely jaunt exploring summer's end and all your rich poetry here! Hillwood Gardens looks enchanting, and I love what you did with your Postcard pics with it! I have a couple summer's end poems, from my post that I can add to your padlet.Thanks for hosting the Roundup, Happy Autumn!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michelle, you are always on target with your image poems. I appreciate your willingness to showcase your work on my padlet for now and later a gallery debut.

      Delete
  2. Thank you, Carol, for hosting us all with your usual seasonal flair! I'm afraid I didn't conjure up an original poem this week (I'm featuring an old poem by Edgar Guest on the theme of September), but I look forward to seeing/reading what everyone has come up with. Your description of summer "transforming gently/into fall" is lovely, and what I wish for everyone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Robyn, I was not ready for the quick takeover of fall so I appreciate today as a transitional one. I do love Edgar Guest and his "Light of Faith" book from 1926 is sitting on my desk right now.I look forward to reading your post with Guest's poem.

      Delete
  3. "moving on" indeed, Carol! Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ...and the transition time begins, Anastasia. Thank you for commenting.

      Delete
  4. Love that Ann Patchett quote, Carol, and the way you describe summer as gently slipping away, whispering goodbye. Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. After looking at over a 100 quotes this one you liked spoke to me, Rose.

      Delete
  5. What a lovely, gentle way to transition into autumn! Thanks for the poems and for hosting this week (my link goes live at 6 a.m. Friday)!

    ~ Jama (Alphabet Soup)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jama, thank you for joining me here and commenting. Today, autumn weather is here`but tonight we are in for a serious storm that is coming up the eastern shores.

      Delete
  6. I love the idea that Summer 'whispers goodbye". We have long Summers in my part of the world and then it trails away, just like a whisper. Thanks for your post and for hosting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the information on how summers trail away in Australia. I also thank you for your addition to the Destination: Summer's End Padlet.

      Delete
  7. I loved reading about the gardens. I had never heard of the and lived in D.C. I missed something wonderful. I plan to add my poem from my blog post to your packet. I love the feel of being between seasons.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Janice, my daughter who lived in DC also never heard of Hillwood Gardens. Thank you for posting your end-of-summer poem on the padlet.

      Delete
  8. As much as I hate to see summer disappear, fall's colors and aromas are inviting, I have to say! Thanks for hosting, Carol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with you, Matt. I love fall and its colors. The weekend of rain enticed me to cook turkey chili.

      Delete
  9. I love the destination of summer"s end theme you present here with your sweet poems and invitation. Thank you, Carol, and thanks for hosting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anastasia, thank you for adding your small poem to my padlet.

      Delete
    2. Oops, Denise, I placed a comment to Anastasia in the wrong spot. Thank you for joining me here. Have a great fall season in the desert.

      Delete
  10. I love every bit, Carol, and though I didn't use the same words, my poem today does celebrate a summer's end. I'll work to prep it & perhaps another for your padlet. Thanks for sharing about your wonderful trip and for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your end-of-summer poem is a welcom addition to my padlet.

      Delete
  11. A gorgeous, thoughtful, reflective post, Carol! I will be passing through DC in the near future, and now I am hopeful that I can visit Hillwood Gardens. Thank you for introducing me to this beautiful place, and thank you for hosting Poetry Friday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tracey, you will love the mansion with its amazing treasures and the gardens are prepping for the fall season.

      Delete
  12. ooooh! I love Hillwood. It's such an exceptional place to visit. I'm glad you got to see it. And, the Japanese garden is a favorite too. So beautiful. I hope to go see Hillwood for the holidays some year. Beautiful post, Carol.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A holiday trip would be lovely to Hillwood, Linda. I would love to see the gardens each season to see how it is transformed into a place of wonder.

      Delete
  13. Your post is a beautiful gateway into a new season, Carol. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the word gateway, Bridget. That makes me think we are entering a wonder-filled season.

      Delete
  14. Dear Carol, Appreciations for hosting & for bringing us summer fun in Sept! Here,, in Florida, North, we are denied falling autumn leaves, a cool breeze, ragweed sneeze & other tokens of the Earth's turning. Exercise in our pool each early evening, hummingbirds drinking nectar from our red ribbon flowers & the need for sunscreen, reminds us what a wide swatch of geography our one & only Earth ambraces. My post sails farther out, to the MOON, with Irene Latham's THE MUSEUM ON THE MOON debut. Please fly with us, if you can!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan, I do admire the scenario you shared in Northern Florida. Thank you for that. It is wonderful having you sign in to Poetry Friday so keep on saying hello.

      Delete
  15. Beautiful, Carol! I have wanted to visit Hillwood Gardens for awhile and it slipped off my radar this summer. Will have to go!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marcie, I am sure you and your camera will enjoy the gardens of Hillwood.

      Delete
  16. Ah, summer slipping away...it disappears into darkness, doesn't it? I love this time of year. And thank you for your words and pics from Hillwood Gardens. Lovely! xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Irene, here's to a new season and the debut of your new book that I love.

      Delete
  17. The gentleness...I love this too. And the Ann Patchett quote rings so beautifully. It really does seem that the changes happens in a moment. Here in Western New York, it is the splendid season once more. Thank you for hosting us with such grace today. xo, a.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amy, New York is always ready for the fall season. I remember growing up in Syracuse and being thrilled each autumn when the colors were so vibrant.

      Delete
  18. Thank you for hosting us, Carol! I love the gardens at Hillwood. (I found the mansion a bit overwhelming.) Enjoy autumn!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tabatha, I did enjoy the mansion with its many treasures. The kitchen alcove was one of my favorite spots. I can imagine having breakfast and enjoying the outside view.

      Delete
  19. Carol, thanks for hosting! Your post holds so much truth! We've experienced the onset of fall here and it is a welcome change (although I am still waiting for my tomatoes to ripen). I've spend a couple of evenings sitting on our dock waiting for the sun to set. I love Japanese gardens and saw a beautiful one in Duluth this summer. Another thing in common! The US Botanical Gardens in DC are lovely too! Have you ever been? Thanks for sharing your goodness!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carol, I have visited the US Botanical Garden and saw historical places in DC created from vegetation one Christmas. Nature offers amazing sights to behold. Have a wonderful trip.

      Delete
  20. Thanks for hosting and for the invitation. Our summer was the hottest on record. It was all I could do was to keep the plants alive. I look forward to the cooler days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Climate change is really happening here also. We've had very high temperatures and then after a long stretch, torrential storms. Our lawns and plants were so thirsty this summer so when the temps dipped to the seventies and eighties we felt comfortable. Enjoy your first weekend after going back to work.

      Delete
  21. Carol, your post speaks to both celebration and reflection as you live through the eventual changing of the season. I enjoyed the words-'gentle transformation' and the idea of summer slipping away. As you move through autumn, we in Australia face an uncertain summer with added possibilities of very dry, hot conditions and the prospect of fires. Summer brings with it a mixed bag of offerings...
    Thank you for hosting and your summer reflections.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alan, thanks for sharing what Australia offers during summer. It gives me a different perspective. Thanks also for always presenting different poetic formats to try out.

      Delete
  22. Such a soft adieu to the summer season, Carol - Your poem gave me pause to soak up those memories - the gatherings, hot lake sand, an expansive sky beckoning us to mountain peaks. Thank you for this chance to say goodbye, and hello to Fall.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Patricia, I am glad that your memories are so strong. An expansive sky would beckon me, too. Have a great week.

      Delete
  23. Carol, thanks for hosting and, as always, for a beautiful post. :) ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you, Carol! You've got a prime location for savoring summer. And thank you for taking us along virtually to Hillwood Gardens. Beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen, after a weekend of rain, we are now officially into fall and its sweather weather. My front porch is now decorated and I will enjoy the sight. Halloween will bring in more decorations.

      Delete