Walnuts Plumping

"Harvest Home" is from one of my favorite poetry books, The Year Around.

I read this to the children recently.  They were delighted with "And walnuts plumping fast and faster".  Do you know what that is referring to?

Harvest Home

The maples flare among the spruces,
The bursting foxgrape spills its juices,
The gentians lift their sapphire fringes
On roadways rich with golden tinges,
The waddling woodchucks fill their hampers,
The deer mouse runs, the chipmunk scampers,
The squirrels scurry, never stopping,
For all they hear is apples dropping
And walnuts plumping fast and faster;
The bee weighs down the purple aster-
Yes, hive your honey, little hummer,
The woods are waving, "Farewell Summer."

-- Arthur Guiterman -- 

This next book is one that I thought was for just for me.  However, LizzieBee presented me with a golden leaf, pronounced it a bookmark, and made me promise to read this book only with her.  Funny girl.  A perfect anthology, as I'm a seasons gal.

Autumn, edited by Gary Schmidt

I will someday write an entire post on Edna Miller's Mousekin Series. (I told you I loved books about mice!) Perfect for fall, this warm book (and series) gently teaches about the life of a whitefoot mouse with lots of nature lore throughout.  I love the illustrations.

Mousekin's Golden House, story and pictures by Edna Miller

There, is that enough autumn goodness for you?  Here is a link to my favorite autumn painting, Autumn Leaves by Millais.