Fall, Winter, Fall

One of the joys of living in our canyon is Fall. The leaves generally start changing colour here around the start of August and then the leaves don't fall off until around the end of September / start of October, giving us almost two months to enjoy natures show, which seems to change the look of the canyon on a daily basis between the time when we drive off at half seven in the morning and return about half past six at night.

This year though, things were different. Not sure what it was, maybe it was the long hot summer and a consequence of the lack of real moisture throughout the year for the past two years, but the leaves didn't change colour like in years past this time around. This year the leaves of the trees changed one day to an orange or yellow, then shriveled up and fell off the next. I was starting to thing that we weren't going to get a real display. But then last week there was a cold spell, followed by a warming spell while we went to Vegas at the weekend. On our return the canyon had transformed. Trees that had managed to hold onto their leaves but had stubbornly refused to change to their Autumn shades had altered he look of the canyon in our absence in the three days that we were away.

I should have taken a picture then, but we had dogs to walk after a long trip, and dinner to eat. A couple of late days at work meant more photographic opportunites were lost. Then this morning the first signs of winter looked like it had arrived.

 

Beautiful as it may be I hope winter stays a way a little longer yet. It would be bad enough only enjoying my favorite season for a short time. That would be made all the worse by having a long winter.