Autumn - A Time of Sowing

The first time I boldly stood at the edge of the field as the farmer passed by in his combine harvesting the corn, I learned a valuable lesson. One should NOT stand too closely to a combine harvesting corn! The large beast of a machine aggressively grabs up 8-10 rows of corn and forcefully shoots out debris... everywhere. That first year, I should have more closely observed the neighboring horses in the field beside -- as they backed away a safe distance until the combine had passed.

This year, as I was eagerly awaiting
 the completion of the field south of our property, I stood back - hiding behind a grouping of pine trees adjacent to the field at the edge of our lawn. The harvesting kicks up a huge cloud of dust mixed with partially & completely devoured corn cobs. There are stalks, cobs & shucks flying everywhere. The debris field comes out 10 feet or more. I ran out to take pictures of the farmers harvesting the corn when the combine reached a safe distance. The neighboring horses ran forward to gobble up corn which was tossed into their field. 

As the suns goes down in the west tonight, the deer will emerge from the wooded areas to clean up loose seed left behind by today's harvest. Squirrels and field mice will collect & tuck back loose kernels of corn to sustain them in the coming winter months. And, some of the seed will be pressed into our lawn the next time we mow. Each spring & summer, dependent upon the previous summer's crop, corn or soybean plants grow in our lawn, along the field's edge. 

This morning as I read the following quote, I was struck by the fact that I'd never really thought of autumn as a time of sowing...  

"For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad." ~ Edwin Way Teale

What a great lesson on life, in general. What a reminder to open my mind to different ways of seeing things. In the times I feel less productive than I should be, perhaps it's a time of rest for a season to come when my energy will be especially needed. In times when I'm accomplishing tasks one right after another, perhaps it's in preparation for unforeseen needs to come which will be met by those efforts. What else can I learn from this simple lesson which is played out each year in my back yard as autumn comes?

Another pic from the morning's walkabout... it's one of my #JoyDare's...

#JoyDare No. 3010. morning walkabouts
& harvest messes :)

Linked with the Nesting Place community through the write31days challenge, October 2014 - post No 8.