Leaves, leaves, leaves …

Forgive me if I dwell on fall colors, but they are just is so evocative for me. I am struck by how democratic (small d) ‘beauty’ is. Liberal or conservative, you don’t need a degree in Fine Arts to appreciate the stunning display of colors. And there they are – right alongside the road – for all to see.

These maple leaves could match anything on a canvas.

I’m partial to the salmon-golds — and have a prime example in my back yard with my Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood).

Here’s a full length shot with the Red Sunset maple in the background.

Just driving through town I’m amazed by the subtle shades and hues. Chartreuse is a somewhat unusual fall color. It’s over overshadowed in this shot by the brilliant bronze of the Japanese maple.

I’ve been reminded of all sorts of odd associations — from menopausal flushes to the baring of branches.  Jane Hirshfield says it well in the poem, Three Times My Life Has Opened:

… But outside my window all day a maple has stepped
from her leaves like a woman in love with winter, dropping
the colored silks.

And all the leaves on the ground recall lovers’ clothes tossed wantonly aside.

* Ms. Hirshfield’s poem can be found in Risking Everything – 110 Poems of Love and Revelation.

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Siouxon Perfection

The Clark county Forever Young hikers trekked the Siouxon Creek Trail in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. A more perfect hike would be hard to find.

The Siouxon Creek (pronounced like Tuscan in Arizona) is chock full of falls,  striking boulders and deep pools. The trail was relatively level and never far from water.

The forest had lots of old growth redwoods (mostly snags).

It’s south of Yale Lake and  Swift  reservoir. The trailhead is about 8 miles northeast of Chelatchie.

Service road 54 had been washed out since last winter but was sufficiently repaired for us to cross.

The countryside along the way was lush with fall colors.

We passed the Tum Tum cinder cone en route.

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Leaves

This part of the country is all about trees. And this time of year is all about leaves. The fall color display is our terrestrial northern lights.

I like the odd places single leaves land.

And the contrasts in shape and color this creates.

I came across these trailing leaves against a wall on a walk.

What says “fall” more than a gutter full of maple leaves? They’d make a good computer background.

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It’s been busy around here …

I’ve been away from this blog for so long, it’s hard to try and catch up.  I’m enrolled in the local Master Gardener program, seeking a part time job (and training to be a Quickbooks ProAdvisor), volunteering and last week I had family visiting.

Where to begin? How about a rainbow across the street?

Fall colors are happening. More each day. Here’s my “Arnold Promise” witch hazel that I planted a year ago.

My dogwood and “burning bush” are doing their thing too.

There, that wasn’t so bad. Wish me luck!

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