Autumn leaves and Samhain

It's that time of year again and I can't resist collecting some of these beautiful leaves. How it can possibly be nearly May I don't know when I'm still reminding myself to write 2011 not 2010, but according to my diary it is.
Next Sunday will be Samhain for the southern hemisphere- time for the Day of the Dead and Halloween now... but we do hate to acknowledge we don't live in the Northern Hemisphere despite everything that nature is showing us. The brightly coloured leaves are a dead give away!
Ah well- I'll be lighting my candles and making a huge pot of home-grown pumpkin soup anyway...and remembering my loved ones who have gone.