Silhouette of grass backlit in the evening sun...an image of autumn.

A ripe seed head hangs heavy on this stem of grass in the high meadow of VOA Park. Always a symbol of autumn and the bounty of harvest, images of grasses are soothing. Whether it is the psychology of harvest or simply the aesthetics of its sculptural form, we're never immune to the allure of its simple beauty.

The silhouette of grass backlit in the evening sun evokes feelings of security and peace.

The shadows in the background enhance the play of sun on the ripe seed head, and we are struck by the beauty of contrast.

As summer departs, grasses that have gone to seed bend and sway in fields, meadows and along roadsides. The sight pulls us deeper into autumn and helps us separate from the easiness of summer.

Soothing and retrospective, autumn lets us marvel at nature in one final hurrah, because as greens give way to golds, we know a leaner and sharper season is on the way where golds drain to grays and color blanches before our eyes.

(Of course, it's not all bad! Crystal whites and sparkling snowflakes add a bit of spice--if we're lucky!)