The year is but a succession of days,
and I see that I could assign some office to each day
which, summed up, would be the history of the year.
Henry Thoreau, August 24, 1852
It is a beautifully
clear and bracing air
with just enough coolness --
clear and bracing air
with just enough coolness --
full of the memory
of frosty mornings
September 22, 1851
These bracing fine days
when frosts come to ripen the
year, the days, like fruit --
September 22, 2017
In love we impart, each to each, in subtlest immaterial form of thought or atmosphere, the best of ourselves, such as commonly vanishes or evaporates in aspirations, and mutually enrich each other. September 22, 1852
Yesterday and to-day the stronger winds of autumn have begun to blow, and the telegraph harp has sounded loudly. September 22, 1851
A rainy day. September 22, 1856
A clear cold day, wind northwest. September 22, 1858
A mizzling day, with less rain than yesterday, filling the streams. September 22, 1859
It is a beautifully clear and bracing air, with just enough coolness, full of the memory of frosty mornings, through which all things are distinctly seen and the fields look as smooth as velvet. September 22, 1851
As I look off from the hilltop, wonder if there are any finer days in the year than these. September 22, 1854
The air is so fine and more bracing, and the landscape has acquired some fresh verdure withal. September 22, 1854
The frosts come to ripen the year, the days, like fruits. September 22, 1854
I am astonished to see how brown and sere the groundsel or "fire-weed” on hillside by Heywood's Meadow, which has been touched by frost, already is. September 22, 1851
The black birches . . . now yellow, on the south side of Flint's Pond, on the hillside, look like flames. September 22, 1851
The chestnut trees are brownish-yellow as well as green. September 22, 1851
The Utricularia cornuta, or horned utricularia, on the sandy pond-shore, not affected by the frost. September 22, 1851
The fragrance of grapes is on the breeze and the red drooping barberries sparkle amid the leaves. September 22, 1851
From the hill on the south side of the pond, the forests have a singularly rounded and bowery look, clothing the hills quite down to the water's edge and. . . the ponds are like drops of dew amid and partly covering the leaves. September 22, 1851
From the hill on the south side of the pond, the forests have a singularly rounded and bowery look, clothing the hills quite down to the water's edge and. . . the ponds are like drops of dew amid and partly covering the leaves. September 22, 1851
The mountain-ash trees are alive with robins and cherry-birds nowadays, stripping them of their fruit (in drooping clusters). It is exceedingly bitter and austere to my taste. Such a tree fills the air with the watch-spring-like note of the cherry-birds coming and going. September 22, 1859
See a large flock of crows. September 22, 1860
I see the fall dandelions all closed in the rain this afternoon. Do they, then, open only in fair or cloudy forenoons and cloudy afternoons? September 22, 1859
There is mallow with its pretty little button-shaped fruit, which children eat and call cheeses, — eaten green. There are several such fruits discoverable and edible by children. September 22, 1859
There is mallow with its pretty little button-shaped fruit, which children eat and call cheeses, — eaten green. There are several such fruits discoverable and edible by children. September 22, 1859
The clematis yesterday was but just beginning to be feathered, but its feathers make no show. Feathers out next day in house. September 22, 1860
The sweet-gale fruit is yet quite green, but perhaps it is ripe. September 22, 1860
I had seen in this day’s walk an abundance of Aster cordifolius (but no A. undulatus); also saw A. corymbosus, which is a handsome white wood aster; and, very common, what I called A. longifolius, with shorter thick, clasping leaves. September 22, 1858
Sophia has in her herbarium and has found in Concord these which I have not seen this summer . . . Uvularia perfoliata. September 22, 1852
Tried some pennyroyal tea, but found it too medicinal for my taste. Yet I collect these herbs, biding the time when their use shall be discovered. September 22, 1856.
I rarely read a sentence in a new botany which reminds me of flowers or living plants. The early botanists, like Gerard, were prompted and compelled to describe their plants, but most nowadays only measure them, as it were. September 22, 1860
I am assisted by these books in identifying a particular plant and learning some of its humbler uses, but very few indeed write as if they had seen the thing they pretend to describe. September 22, 1860
Behind one house, an Indian had nearly finished one canoe and was just beginning another, outdoors. September 22, 1853
It took him a fortnight or three weeks to complete a canoe after he had got the materials ready. September 22, 1853
I looked very narrowly at the process and had already carefully examined and measured our birch. September 22, 1853
I was much struck by the method of this work, and the process deserves to be minutely described, September 22, 1853
Find more pieces of that Indian pot. Have now thirty- eight in all. September 22, 1860
On river. The Polygonum amphibium var. terrestre is a late flower, and now more common and the spikes larger, quite handsome and conspicuous, and more like a prince's-feather than any. September 22, 1852
Evidently the recent rise of the river has caused the lower leaves of the button-bush to fall. A perfectly level line on these bushes marks the height to which the water rose, many or most of the leaves so high having fallen. September 22, 1860
The button-bush balls are hardly reddened. September 22, 1860
The soapwort gentian the flower of the river-banks now. September 22, 1852
The river is peculiarly smooth and the water clear and sunny as I look from the stone bridge. September 22, 1854
Has been a great flight of blue-winged teal this season. September 22, 1852
A painted tortoise with his head out, outside of the weeds, looks as if resting in the air with head and flippers outstretched. September 22, 1854
Many tortoise-scales about the river now. September 22, 1855
Some of my driftwood — floating rails, etc. — are scented with muskrats; have been their perches; and also covered with a thick clear slime or jelly. September 22, 1855
Some of my driftwood — floating rails, etc. — are scented with muskrats; have been their perches; and also covered with a thick clear slime or jelly. September 22, 1855
Just as the sun is preparing to dip below the horizon, the thin haze in the atmosphere north and south along the west horizon reflects a purple tinge and bathes the mountains with the same, like a bloom on fruits. September 22, 1854
September 22, 2020
Is it not another evidence of the ripe days? September 22, 1854
By moonlight all is simple. We are enabled to erect ourselves, our minds, on account of the fewness of objects. We are no longer distracted. September 22, 1854
By moonlight we are not of the earth earthy, but we are of the earth spiritual. September 22, 1854
The lover alone perceives and dwells in a certain human fragrance. To him humanity is not only a flower, but an aroma and a flavor also. September 22, 1852
 |
| September 22, 2017 |
*****
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Musquash
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the American Crow
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, The Cherry-bird (cedar waxwing)
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Painted Turtle (Emys picta)
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Soapwort Gentian
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Common Barberry
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Autumnal Dandelion
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, Seen from a Hillside
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, the Aromatic Herbs
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, The Horizon
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, September Moonlight
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, The world can never be more beautiful than now.
*****
 |
September 22, 2018 September 22, 2022 |
March 6, 1856 ("On the rock this side the Leaning Hemlocks, is the track of an otter. He has left some scentless jelly-like substance")
March 10, 1859 ("I see near the stone bridge where the strong northwest wind of last night broke the thin ice just formed, and set the irregular triangular pieces on their edges quite perpendicular and directed northwest and southeast and pretty close together, about nine inches high, for half a dozen rods, like a dense fleet of schooners with their mainsails set.")
May 9, 1853 ("I save a floating plank which exhales and imparts to my hands the rank scent of the muskrats which have squatted on it. I often see their fresh green excrement on rocks and wood.")
June 15, 1852 ("The North River, Assabet, by the old stone bridge, affords the best bathing-place I think of, — a pure sandy, uneven bottom, — with a swift current, a grassy bank, and overhanging maples, with transparent water, deep enough, where you can see every fish in it. Though you stand still, you feel the rippling current about you")
August 1, 1855 ("Pennyroyal and alpine enchanter’s-nightshade well out, how long?”)
August 11, 1853 ("Evening draws on while I am gathering bundles of pennyroyal on the further Conantum height. I find it amid the stubble mixed with blue-curls and, as fast as I get my hand full, tie it into a fragrant bundle.”)
August 13, 1852 ("Pennyroyal abundant in bloom. I find it springing from the soil lodged on large rocks in sprout-lands, and gather a little bundle, which scents my pocket for many days.")
August 13, 1856 (“Is there not now a prevalence of aromatic herbs in prime? — The polygala roots, blue-curls, wormwood, pennyroyal, . . . etc., etc. Does not the season require this tonic?“)
August 26, 1856 ("I gather a bundle of pennyroyal; it grows largest and rankest high and close under these rocks, amid the loose stones.")
August 27, 1851 ("Hawkweed groundsel (Senecio hieracifolius) (fireweed)")
September 1, 1859 ("The autumnal dandelion is a prevailing flower now, but since it shuts up in the afternoon it might not be known as common unless you were out in the morning or in a dark afternoon.")
September 1, 1859("The cherry-birds and robins seem to know the locality of every wild cherry in the town.")
September 11, 1859 ("This being a cloudy and somewhat rainy day, the autumnal dandelion is open in the afternoon.")
September 12, 1851 ("To the Three Friends' Hill beyond Flint's Pond. . . I go to Flint's Pond for the sake of the mountain view from the hill beyond, looking over Concord.")
September 15, 1855 ("See many painted tortoise scales being shed, half erect on their backs.")
September 18, 1852 ("The robins of late fly in flocks, and I hear them oftener.")
September 18, 1852 ("The crows congregate and pursue me through the half-covered woodland path, cawing loud and angrily above me, and when they cease, I hear the winnowing sound of their wings.")
September 18, 1856 ("I have seen no . . . Polygonum amphibium var. aquaticum . . .this year.")
September 18, 1858 ("The perfectly fresh spike of the Polygonum amphibium attracts every eye now. It is not past its prime. C. thinks it is exactly the color of some candy.")
September 18, 1858 ("It is a wonderful day.")
September 18, 1860 ("This is a beautiful day, warm but not too warm, a harvest day (I am going down the railroad causeway), the first unquestionable and conspicuous autumnal day, when the willows and button-bushes are a yellowed bower in parallel lines along the swollen and shining stream . . . If you are not happy to-day you will hardly be so to-morrow.")
September 19, 1852 ("The soapwort gentian cheers and surprises, -- solid bulbs of blue from the shade, the stale grown purplish. It abounds along the river, after so much has been mown.")
September 19, 1854 ("I see large flocks of robins keeping up their familiar peeping and chirping.")
September 19, 1856 ("Gather just half a bushel of barberries on hill in less than two hours, or three pecks to-day and yesterday in less than three hours.")
September 20, 1851 ("This week we have had most glorious autumnal weather, - cool and cloudless, bright days, . . . preceded by frosty mornings." )
September 20, 1856 ("Melvin says that there are many teal about the river now.")
September 20, 1859 ("I suspect that the button-bushes and black willows have been as ripe as ever they get to be")
September 21, 1851 ("Moonlight is peculiarly favorable to reflection . It is a cold and dewy light in which the vapors of the day are condensed, and though the air is obscured by darkness, it is more clear.")
September 21, 1853 ("Saw robins in flocks going south. ")
September 21, 1854 ("With this bright, clear, but rather cool air the bright yellow of the autumnal dandelion is in harmony and the heads of the dilapidated goldenrods. ")
September 21, 1859 ("A peculiarly fine September day, looking toward the fall, warm and bright.")
The birch bark canoe –
the process deserves to be
minutely described.
September 22, 1853
September 23, 1852 ("The barberry bushes in Clematis Hollow are very beautiful now, with their wreaths of red or scarlet fruit drooping over a rock.")
September 23, 1856 ("Rainy day.")
September 24, 1851 ("Where Grapes are ripe and already shrivelled by frost; barberries also.")
September 24, 1854 (The button-bushes, which before had attained only a dull mixed yellow, are suddenly bitten, wither, and turn brown,")
September 24, 1855 ("The button bushes pretty well browned with frost.")
September 25, 1852 ("The fall dandelions are a prevailing flower on low turfy grounds, especially near the river.")
September 25, 1857 (" You notice now the dark-blue dome of the soapwort gentian in cool and shady places under the bank. ")
September 28, 1851 ("The fall dandelion is now very fresh and abundant in its prime. ")
September 27, 1857 ("White birches have fairly begun to yellow")
September 27, 1858 ("The P. amphibium spikes still in prime.")
October 10, 1857 ("The most brilliant days in the year, ushered in, perhaps, by a frosty morning, as this.")
October 12, 1855 ("I see a painted tortoise still out on shore. Three of his back scales are partly turned up and show fresh black ones ready beneath. And now I see that the six main anterior scales have already been shed.")
November 11, 1853 ("Bracing cold, and exhilarating sunlight on russet and frosty fields “)
November 4, 1855 ("The autumnal dandelion sheltered by this apple-tree trunk is drooping and half closed and shows but half its yellow, this dark, late wet day in the fall.") December 10, 1853 ("These are among the finest days in the year, on account of the wholesome bracing coolness and clearness.”)
December 14, 1855 ("In a little hollow I see the sere gray pennyroyal rising above the snow, which, snuffed, reminds me of garrets full of herbs.”)
November 11, 1853 ("Bracing cold, and exhilarating sunlight on russet and frosty fields “)
November 4, 1855 ("The autumnal dandelion sheltered by this apple-tree trunk is drooping and half closed and shows but half its yellow, this dark, late wet day in the fall.") December 10, 1853 ("These are among the finest days in the year, on account of the wholesome bracing coolness and clearness.”)
December 14, 1855 ("In a little hollow I see the sere gray pennyroyal rising above the snow, which, snuffed, reminds me of garrets full of herbs.”)
September 22, 2017
If you make the least correct
observation of nature this year,
you will have occasion to repeat it
with illustrations the next,
and the season and life itself is prolonged.
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, September 22
A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau"A book, each page written in its own season,out-of-doors, in its own locality.”~edited, assembled and rewritten by zphx © 2009-2022
https://tinyurl.com/HDT22September
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