Kay Wade
Noticing November
Float around a bend of mountain dipping into the clear waters of beautiful Lake Jocassee. Witness beech, birch, and sourwood—cadmium yellow, raw sienna, and Indian red—dancing a sexy tango. Here, Breeze is light, blocked by Mountain, and ki carries wood smoke fragrance from a nearby campfire. Round a point towards Horsepasture Valley and the movement of air picks up, funneled through deep and narrow gorges. Watch the graceful waltz of swaying oak trees, dressed in seasonal burnt umber and raw ochre. A flash of brilliant white circles above the lake: gulls are here; loons are arriving. Taste this sweet ephemeral autumn in the gooey persimmons that linger on our lips and fingertips. The Jocassee Gorges are as beautiful now as they ever will be (until next season) and if you haven’t witnessed this for yourself, come. ~K