Barely Autumn [ulog #7]

From Moscow to Milwaukee, from Cedar Rapids to Calgary, folks have been posting beautiful snapshots of autumn foliage. In the area where I live in the southeastern US, however, autumn is barely underway. Only the dogwoods (the first to turn color) and a couple of maples are beginning to show.

I drove one hour north yesterday to help a friend pack her house for moving. She lives in an area with mountains all around her, and the trees on the mountain tops are beginning to look nice, but nowhere near their "peak" of color yet.

Autumn has always been one of my favorite times of year. There is a delightful, woodsy, "smoky" smell in the air that is partly caused by the decaying leaves and partly by the fireplaces that have been stirred from their summer slumber. Cooler temperatures have broken the recurring cycle of thunderstorms which are spawned by heat and humidity. And the colors of the leaves are so breathtakingly gorgeous!

The only downside is the heralding of cold winter weather when autumn ends. Brrr! When that happens, I will be counting the days until spring comes again!