Autumn Arrives

September 16, 2023 dwm

 Fall arrives in the middle of the night this time.  That seems fitting for a season that tends to sneak up on us, acting all summer-y when you suspect there are clouds and chill in the not too distant future.

 Even in the dog days of summer there were early signs in the leaves drying prematurely in the trees.  The colors weren't orange and red but yellow.

 In Wisconsin and places in the upper Midwest conditions have been dry most of the year which means less grand colors on display as drought-stress drained much of the color from their veins.

 The dry conditions add to the sound of autumn as leaves crunch underfoot creating a fine mulch of leaf confetti.

 While the fall season is 89 days, 20 hours, and 37 minutes the changes are slow and quicker than they eye at once.  Beautiful fall days - the best days there are - become the first killing frost and an early dusting of snow.  It's all fall.

Leaves that Fall

Green, brown, yellow

Lockport, Illinois.       11/1/2014 dwm photo

Red, orange, maroon...

Each color comes

Some times too soon.

 

Leaves that fall

Crunch underfoot                                            

Swirl in eddies

Ascend in whirls.

1:50 AM is early

For fall to arrive

But it makes sense for a season

That pulls us inside.

 

Happy Autumn!

 

9/21/2023 d w mossner