In the Fall

At this time last year we were preparing for what would become one of the most devastating hurricanes in the history of this country...and in the Northeast no less. Sandy roared on shore and proceeded to destroy, leaving a disastrous mess behind the effects of which are still being felt. A week later we were hit with a massive Nor'easter which dumped a huge amount of snow on the remaining trees which still had their leaves on. We went from a hot humid Summer to the dead of Winter in an instant. We had no Autumn, the prettiest and usually shortest of seasons. So I think it is only fitting that this year, after a pretty crappy Summer; too hot, too cold; too humid; too dry; too wet; too many bugs ALL the time, we are experiencing what has got to be one of the best Fall seasons in a very long time. The temperature has cooled gradually as the days have grown shorter with crisp cool days and clear blue cloudless skies. The trees' changing colors have been slow and methodical inching towards peak putting on a spectacular show. I'm not sure my photographic skills can do it justice but I'll give it a shot.

Bob and Suzanne's red leaf maple:

The little tree in the middle of my flower bed:

My Japanese Maple:

South Mountain Reservation, Essex County, New Jersey:

The summer-flower has run to seed,
And yellow is the woodland bough;
And every leaf of bush and weed
Is tipt with autumn’s pencil now.

And I do love the varied hue,
And I do love the browning plain;
And I do love each scene to view,
That’s mark’d with beauties of her reign.

* excerpt from Autumn, by John Clare