Last gasp of Autumn

Tomorrow at 23h43 (Cape Town) is the Winter solstice, marking the longest night and shortest day, and officially ushering in the winter season in the southern hemisphere. Autumn has been late this year, with some leaves still clinging to their twigs as if in competition to see which will be the last to fall. A fresh north-easterly blowing from inland helped a few to spiral down and settle onto the forest floor, to become part of the cycle of life and nurture new growth in Spring. A generous downpour from last week's cold front has soaked the ground, with mushrooms burgeoning through the humus between the roots - much discussion about edibility, but no takers.
After a coolish start to the walk through the Spaanschemat River trail in Constantia, the sun and wind combined to make us shed our layers of clothing by the time we got to the mandala. This thoughtfully set out fynbos garden with its information boards is well worth a visit (each season has its own blooms) and is very well tended, as is the entire trail, making for the ideal walking space for those who don't want to head for the mountains but still enjoy the beauty the valley has to offer.
I have always preferred a leafless tree as it enables me to appreciate the intricate branchwork that typifies each species. A towering stone pine can be admired for its trunk covered in an endless mosaic of red, brown and grey 'tiles', and the cork oaks just beg to be stroked for their knobbly texture, but the deciduous trees that shade us in summer are more beauteous when bare.
The final stretch of the walk took us through the vineyards of Groot Constantia, now stripped of their 2020 vintage - the results may become collector's items simply because of their association with the year! Tiny bunches of shrivelled shiraz clung unwanted to the vines, to be clipped in pruning season and added to the mulch for next season, and the last gasp of autumn fluttered red and gold under the midday sun.