Last Peek at Peak Fall Leaves

I was proven wrong. Here I thought this would not be a great leaf peeping season. People said, “It wasn’t cold enough to bring out the color,” or “There was so much rainfall, it made the trees hang onto their leaves.”

I believed them.

They were wrong.

I saw spectacular pops of color in the week leading into the first days of November. Vivid reds and yellows.

This weekend, I was lucky enough to have a beautiful fall day for heading out, so I did — walking both early in the morning and again for an afternoon walk in the Ives Farm woodlands. The east side (farm stand side) woodland trail is open to the public on weekends, beginning in November.

There is just something invigorating about a walk in the fall. My breath was leaving plumes of vapor trails in the early morning. It was cold. I should have worn my gloves. My hands were numb. I could barely feel the camera button to make the shot. The Ives fields were wonderful, though, with frost making crystals on the grasses and leftover pumpkins.

Back for more in the afternoon, the light was perfect. Birch trees created a golden forest with the late day sunshine. Some pops of burnt orange from oaks came through, but the maples and shag bark hickory seemed done for the season, leaving a carpet of color to walk on throughout the trails.

I think the I managed to peek at the last of the peak autumnal season. What a beautiful day.

Blog post by Joy VanderLek, CLT President