A walk in the Fall woods

One of the things I missed most when living in California was the changing of the seasons. Warm winters make up for a lot, but there’s still nothing quite like the fall colour of the northeast. I’ve been luxuriating in the fall foliage a bit the way you enjoy a hot bath, just soaking it all in. Here are some images from a recent walk in the woods.

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The ilex bushes still have their leaves, but the berries are bright red. I’ll go back to cut a few for holiday decorations in December!

This oak might be the biggest, oldest tree in our woods; a hug doesn’t even reach halfway around its trunk. I love the way its branches, like giant arms, reach out and up.

The oak tree is a whole ecosystem. In the moss at its base I found these tiny mushrooms, each about the size of a fingernail.

And in among its roots, clumps of Hen in the Woods. Apparently edible (better earlier in the season), but I won’t be trying them without guidance from an expert!

Rain drops on oak leaves

The maple trees are my favourites. At their feet, the ground is carpeted with leaves so beautiful they take your breath away.

And when you look up….

Then there are the yellows, made golden by the low sun of a fall afternoon.

The cold and snow of winter are on their way. Temperatures dropped last night and the days are getting shorter. The flannel sheets are on the bed, firewood is (mostly) stacked, and I’ve almost finished putting the garden to bed. Fall is short but oh, so beautiful, and I’m grateful for this spectacular show that makes facing the winter a little easier.