I had more than one reader ask about the foggy morning that I wrote about last weekend. Each person said they wanted to see one of the photos that had gotten me so very excited about the early morning time that I was on the St. Croix River at Wild River State Park. I’m pleased to say that I had a difficult time choosing which photo to post for my response as I had more than one “favorite” image for that chance morning. But I narrowed it down to this image “Single tree island, early autumn” because it seems to sum up the whole morning. The fog is hanging in the air and over the river; the water is still so as to show the perfect reflection; the tree and the opposite hillside are glowing with the colors of fall, and the sun is just burning through the fog providing some blue sky and some beautiful lighting on the tree and the island. Within two minutes the scene changed — the sunlight was harsh and the fog had disappeared for that morning. I realized how fortunate I was to be at this place at this time on this morning. (And on another note…my lost cellphone was turned in by an alert hiker who found it along the trail near this very spot. Perhaps I was too caught up in my excitement over these perfect photographic conditions that I was unaware of other things such as cellphones.)
autumn
Golden colors of fall
Autumn is quickly spreading across Minnesota, starting in the north and moving southward every day. Saturday morning I left the house before dawn and drove north to Wild River State Park, a beautiful park located right along the St. Croix River. The morning was cold with frost and blue skies, but as I approached the river valley I could see a thick blanket of fog hovering over the water. I quickly parked, collected my camera gear, and headed along a trail that follows the river. In the stillness of the morning with the sounds and sights muffled by the fog layer, I enjoyed a delightful hour of fall colors. All too soon the sun burned through the fog, the temperature rose, and the wind picked up. I was delighted to see a bald eagle soaring high overhead, and later a deer ran by, obviously hearing my approach before I had even seen her. The time passed quickly amongst the golden leaves of the forest, and when I returned to my car I realized I was missing my cell phone. It must have fallen somewhere along a trail (or maybe even into the river). I reported the loss to the park staff and drove home with the hope that someone might find it or it might become a new treasure for someone’s geocaching trip. As the remainder of the day wore on and no word on my phone I mentally retraced my steps and thought that I might have dropped it near the front of where my car had been parked. So this morning I made the pre-dawn drive back to Wild River State Park, only this morning was a completely different scene. The night had been warmer, so there was no frost and no fog – only the bright sun as it crested the bluffs on the Wisconsin side of the river. I searched the parking lot to no avail, but took the opportunity to hike another trail further north in the park. With the bright sunlight the trees were glowing in their shades of yellow and gold. I appreciated the contrast between the two mornings and remembered that scenes and places are never the same, even when separated by only 24 hours. I have since replaced my cell phone, and I am not annoyed in the least at the “reason” I had to visit the park on two consecutive beautiful fall mornings.
Quickly slipping into fall
Just as the calendar shows us passing the autumnal equinox last week, it seems that nature is truly slipping into fall here in Minnesota. Our nights are getting cooler and the sun is lacking the heat it had even a few weeks ago. Yesterday morning we got up early to drive south to Wabasha, a town that sits right on the Mississippi River in the heart of the bluff country. The air was heavy with moisture and we drove through thick fog in places. As we were going to be helping some friends harvest grapes in their vineyard, we had been hoping for a sunny and warm day. When we arrived at their home overlooking the Mississippi River Valley we were still in the fog, but I was delighted to be able to divert my attention from the grapes to photographing their gardens. These fall-colored mums were in full bloom, and upon closer examination I saw that they were laced with the dew of this damp morning. The fog and low clouds eventually gave way to sunshine and a warm-enough fall day as we worked throughout the morning and afternoon picking grapes. The time passed quickly with conversation amongst friends, and our fingers and hands became stained and coated with the color and smell of the ripe grapes. By the time we drove home after a celebratory dinner preceded by a toast to the wine harvest, the clouds had passed and the sky was filled with a full canopy of stars overhead.
The yin and yang of autumn
I spent today outside raking leaves and thinking about the season of autumn. With a sunny and unseasonably warm day it was delightful to be outside. And yet I was raking up a yard-full of dry and brittle leaves which have left our trees as skeletons in the landscape. I was sad that the brilliant colors of fall were now behind us, and I was missing the constant chatter of the geese as they would fly over our house throughout the summer. And yet I was appreciative of this warm and sunny day, and of the smell of fall that was evident in the air.
We were in western Minnesota yesterday when this image was taken. The high clouds created their own patterns in the sky, allowing the sun to filter through at certain angles. As we drove through this prairie landscape, I was amazed at the fall beauty. Here in the small town of Cyrus was a small slough with cattails and some trees — a very common sight. And yet when the sun cut through some of the clouds it brought a most brilliant shimmer and light to the surface of the water. It’s a common sight in Minnesota, and yet one that I will never grow tired of seeing.
Late fall colors
We’ve been enjoying one of the longest fall seasons and one of the warmest, resulting in some of the most beautiful fall colors I’ve seen since moving to Minnesota. The bright colors that are characteristic of the beginning of fall are now gone and we’re enjoying the more subtle shades of gold and rust. Perhaps it’s all part of Mother Nature’s plan to nudge us more gently into winter. But with colors like these leaves that I found earlier in the week, I’ll gladly relish in the beauty of this fall.
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