I know coronavirus and staying safe are on most of our minds, and it should be. But don’t forget to enjoy one of the most colorful seasons of the year, fall.
You know the saying, take time and smell the roses. In the fall, we need to take time and enjoy the kaleidoscope of colors in the festival of trees. And you’re invited to take notice. It’s free! And there’s no problem with social distancing.
Whether you sit on the porch or take a stroll through the park, lookout, up, and around, fall is here!
Fall or Autumn is a beautiful time of the year. Like a crisp starched shirt, the cool winds of fall replace the humid, sticky summer heat. I’ve gotten so used to saying fall that I rarely use the word Autumn. Both fall and Autumn can be used interchangeably, and neither word detracts from the expectations of beautiful treescapes.
Fall conjures up images of leaves falling, nudged off the tree limbs by friendly ghostly winds. Yep, all the kids know that Halloween is in the air. Orange bags bursting with leaves become giant pumpkins and goons on the neighborhood lawns.
But we would be remiss not to notice the beautiful tree foliage of yellow, gold, red, bronze, saffron, and orange hues. The red oaks and maples are gorgeous this time of year. Mother nature knows how to adorn her own from the shortest, tallest, smallest to the largest of trees.
Different levels of chlorophyll mingled with other pigments create the Autumn colors. When the chlorophyll decreases other colors are unmasked.
Enjoy the view!
You don’t have to go to Look Out Mountain or some other place. Check out your front and back yards.
I know there are leaves to rake, bag, and put out for curb pickup.
But remember as kids when we trampled through the dried leaves like soldiers. The crunch, crinkling, and breaking of the leaves scared off the neighborhood cats and squirrels.
Even now, I love walking on the dry leaves. No milk needed for this snap, crackle, and pop!
Remember running and jumping to catch falling leaves. Oh, and don’t forget about piling up the leaves and then falling into them. What fun!
The leaves on my mulberry tree are the first to change and drape the ground. There is a blanket of yellow in every direction. I have several maple and dogwood trees in my front yard. Dogwood trees show their fall scarlet with red berries early in the season.
Fall is pure colorful poetry.
The following poem, by Emily Dickinson, speaks to the beautiful changes of fall.
Autumn
The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.
The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.
Stay safe.
Enjoy the view!