With the promise of autumn sunshine, I headed out before dawn in search of some fall color. Gradually the changing colors have found their way down to the Twin Cities, and the landscape has become beautiful and filled with the rich colors of autumn. This morning was cold enough to provide frost in many areas giving an almost-white coating over the grass. The smell in the air is different as the seasons change and it was delightful to greet the day outside on this crisp and clear morning.
landscapes
A revisit to Hidden Falls
As the calendar moves further into autumn, so too our seasons and landscape. Leaves are turning and cascading to the ground. The smell in the air is much different now. And people and animals are scurrying to get ready for winter. Yesterday we stopped at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park near the central part of Minnesota. I had been there earlier in June when the water was rushing over Hidden Falls, but yesterday was much different. The greens of spring had been replaced with the browns and golds of fall, with leaves scattered all around. Prairie Creek was but a shadow of its spring profile, with only a small amount of water cascading over the rocks. Even the sounds of the water, the trees, and the animals are quieter as the seasons shift gears.
An unexpected summer’s day
The calendar says the end of September, but we were treated to the glory of a summer’s day with temperatures n the 80’s and warm sunshine. Knowing that these are gifts to take advantage of, we headed out for some fishing. Not only were the skies beautiful, but the fall colors are starting to be evident. The golds are showing and the greens are becoming much more faded and muted. Even the fishing seemed to rise to the occasion of this glorious day – we got our share of sunfish and crappies. I came home knowing that if this is the last time we are fishing for the year, at least we had a glorious finale on a late day in September.
After the rainstorm
Yesterday dawned as a beautiful day – sunny and warm, with almost a feel of summer’s return. But late in the afternoon a front moved through, changing our blue skies to dark with rain and strong winds that moved across the area rapidly. After the storm, the sun returned and we opted to go to the University of Minnesota Gopher women’s soccer match. As we walked to the stadium, I looked to the east where the soon-to-be-setting sun was illuminating the storm clouds that had moved through our area. The golden sweep of the clouds was contrasted with the cool blue of the clearing sky, reminding me of the beauty of nature and also the quickness with which it can change.
Daybreak over the lake
Last week I shared a sunset photo from our northern vacation. As beautiful as the sunsets were, I was equally amazed at the sunrises. We were staying on Jack the Horse Lake – a quiet lake with only a few cabins and houses and only one resort. The stillness of the morning, while the sun was yet to rise, was wonderful. The air was calm and the lake’s surface was like a sheet of glass. Off in the distance I could hear an owl making its presence known, and eventually the loons would add to the chorus. Slowly the sky would turn from black to a deep rose color, then to a pale pink and eventually to a brightness of yellow as the sun cleared the horizon and the distant shore, all the while reflected in the mirror-like lake surface. It was a wondrous and delightful way to greet the day.
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