Change is in the Air

Knowing that we will not see another Ukraine autumn makes each day all the sweeter. There is something invigorating about breath-frosting mornings that give way to golden, sun-pooled afternoons.  As leaves turn yellow and curl and drop to the ground the surrounding green appears all the more vibrant.  There is an affinity to the mountain home of our childhood in the patterns of seasonal change here and we feel a connection.  There are lovely places to wander in the middle of this city of twelve-story concrete housing complexes.  Tucked away in unexpected places we have found expansive wooded parks which are bisected by wide-paved walkways and dotted with benches and tiny play areas.  

Leaves fall.

Clean-up begins

As is gets colder, our neighborhood pigeons are getting braver.  

They come flocking to our window sill as soon as we approach the window.

When we get up they are there waiting.  When we get home from the office, they are waiting.

Pigeons are not the only scavengers.  We wonder whose fence in now missing an iron gate 

The air is getting colder, days are getting shorter. It is easy to feel that more changes are on the way, but until they arrive, we are determined to enjoy autumn.