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 Henry David Thoreau Portrait  Bobolink Poster  Naked Viburnum  Summer From the Journal of Henry David Thoreau  Thoreau and the Art of Life Reflections on Nature and the Mystery of Existence  Walden Then & Now An Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau's Pond  Walden  The Portable Thoreau  Walden and Civil Disobedience  Walden, or Life in the Woods Poster  Autumnal Tints Audio CD Reading by Brett Barry.  Kindle 6" Display, U.S. & International Wireless |
Some
birds fly in flocks. I see a dense, compact flock of bobolinks going
off in the air over a field. They cover the rails and alders, and go
rustling off with a brassy, tinkling note like a ripe crop as I
approach, revealing their yellow breasts and bellies. This is an
autumnal sight, that small flock of grown birds in the afternoon sky. Elder-berry ripe. The river was lowest early in July. Some time past I have noticed meadow-grass floating on the river, reminding me they were getting the hay up the stream. Some naked viburnum berries are quite dark purple amid the red, while other bunches are not wholly green yet. The red choke-cherry is small and green still. I plainly distinguish it, also, by its woolly under side. In E. Hubbard's swamp I gather some large and juicy and agreeable rum cherries. The birds make much account of them. They are much finer than the small ones on large trees; quite a good fruit. Some cranberries turned red on one check along the edges of the meadows. Now a sudden gust of wind blows from the northwest, cooled by a storm there, blowing the dust from roads far over the fields. The whole air, indeed, is suddenly filled with dust, and the outlines of the clouds are concealed. But it proves only the wind of the ball, which apparently passes north of us. That clear ring like an alder locust (is it a cricket ?) for some time past is a sound which belongs to the season - autumnal. Here is a second crop of clover almost as red as the first. The swamp blackberry begins. Saw a blue heron on the meadow. Aster amplexicaulis of Bigelow, apparently; probably for a day or two. An orchis by the brook under the Cliffs with only three white flowers, only smaller than the fringed white; spurs half an inch long. May it be another species? August 15, 1852 Other Entries October 29 November 1 November 6 November 10 November 11 November 14 November 20 November 27 December 6 December 16 January 7 February 21 February 25 March 1 March 7 March 11 March 19 April 3 May 1 May 3 May 9 May 10 May 19 May 20 May 24 May 26 May 27 May 29 May 31 June 3 June 9 June 10 June 11 June 14 June 16 July 4 July 15 August 13 |