This week I made a road trip to Athens, Georgia to pick up my son for his Fall break. This time I chose a different route, a 3 hour idyllic journey through central rural Georgia to the University town located in Northeastern part of the state. I was traveling north-east on a cloudy, chilly, windy weather lashing out intermittent sprinkles of light rain.
Drove through the up and down cascading roads among the scenic undulating landscapes, looking at the vast grayish-green agricultural lands and pastures where frugal, sparsely populated cows and horses were grazing, barbed fences separating them from the highway. A foal could be seen following the footsteps of its Mama, shadowing her, looking for the shadow of warm comfort. The surrounding vast meadows reminded me of the phrase "grass is greener on the other side of fence" which made a whole lot of sense.Driving through the rolling hills in deep, scenic Georgia I had a mid Fall day dream transported on a time machine to another era. I imaged myself in one of my previous lives back in the 18th Century kneeling down to propose to my tall, svelte dream girl standing tall on the gracian greens in her beautiful, flowing long flannel white dress with her brimmed hat protecting her pretty face from the peeping Sun. Karma endures, dream shall never die. It lives on for centuries and more to come.
Pines, Oak, Mapples, Sweet Gum, Mimosa trees adored both sides of the road forming gigantic Canopies, garlanded in fascinating early Fall foliage. The winding roads in sparsely populated rural Georgia can give you a feel of chill and darkness of the inside of a valley as the autumn sun struggled to peep through the semi Azure, gray sky. Occasionally I caught the crispiness of the air by rolling down the windows a bit, never failing to catch a glimpse of the historic old houses with large front porches. The idyllic small towns on the way were filled with Churches as many as the fallen Fall leaves on the ground.
The recent rains after a long, dry spell had wiped off the red dust from the tree leaves, like a wiper cleans the window of a car. Small muddy mounds strewn across the road were printed by tire marks.The further North I drove, more and more trees started to change their color. Multi color leaves floating in the chilly air were head bent on committing suicide by colliding on my windshield. Saw a bright red leaf falling and suddenly it started defying gravity, deftly wafting upwards by the cool breeze, only to drift further away, melting into the bottomless abyss of a creek.
The trees wore different shades on Fall color, light greenish-yellow, bright red, yellow and orange, a la different shades colors of Sarees worn by women in an Indian wedding. Miles long Canola plantation in hues of yellow adored both sides of the road , akin to mustard fields in India. Large Oakleaf Hydrangea studded with white flowers, same as Diamond studded a medieval King's crown. The tall Pampas grasses with white top were looking like feather on a cap. Miles of Cotton plantations looking like snow white fleece of clouds could be visible on both sides of the road, smiling brightly in Fall after fighting the fatigue of the summer heat. One of those memorable days...
Didn't realize when I was murmuring this old Yesudas song...
"IN BALKHATI RAHON PE
OONCHE NEECHE SADKON PE
YUHI KAHI MERI MANZEEL CHUPI HAI
MANZEELKO KO MEIN DHOODOON
MUJHE MANZEEL DHOODEN.."
"On these paths fascinating
Up and down roads swerving
Somewhere lies by destination
As I look for it
It looks for me".
