The Trees Have Gone Naked

The Trees Have Gone Naked.

Tremendous winds quickly disrobed the trees of their final bits of cloth this fall. The leaves, snatched from the line where they hung, wafted high on the breeze, circling around, dancing in one final frenzy, then added their gay splendor to the golden carpet now stretching across my back yard.

I have complained about this fall. We had beautiful color gracing all the trees but the rain snatched away the iridescent glory that makes the red and golden leaves seem to shine from some inner light. They still were beautiful against a background of gray gloom waiting to dump showers on our head. It wasn’t that it actually stormed for most of the fall, but a solemn gray breathed into the atmosphere and mist clung to the windshield and hung heavy in the air.

I have always wanted the share the beauty that is Michigan in the fall with the entire world. Undaunted by rain, determined to do so, I headed out fearful the rain would quickly undress the trees. Somehow enough of the leaves tenaciously clung to their perches and the color remained until it finally peaked. I snapped some pictures in the gray and seemed satisfied. Then the sun came out a week later and I had it all to do over. I had watched the rain wash the skies in confetti showers. Then grace our lawn with the droppings of colored dew. But there was enough leaves remaining on the trees to still make me gasp.

So here is my color tour. There was too much beauty to pick. So I have published an album of fall color on my web site. Here is the link to the album's first page.

I am saddened that I was unable to capture so much of our fall beauty. The moment had passed for some of the harvesting pictures. But there is always next year. I hope you agree with me. Michigan is awesome. I know our color is not unique, but I don’t think other places are able to surpass what we get to enjoy just by staring out our front window or driving up the street.