Sometimes everything comes together wonderfully, and so it was last weekend. About seven miles away is a regional park right in the city, but to walk along the trails is like being miles away from the cacophony and bustle of urban life. I drove to the park before dawn and enjoyed the sunrise accompanied by the ducks, geese, and even some trumpeter swans. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the warmth of the early morning light washed across the shoreline of Sucker Lake. Protected from the wind, the reflection of the colors glowed in the lake’s surface, only to ripple when the ducks flew in. It was the perfect beginning to a fall day.
Minnesota
Autumn treeline
Last week was peak fall color in many areas of central and southern Minnesota. This year’s color has been much more vibrant – perhaps due to our copious amounts of rain in June, the lack of extreme heat in the summer months, and the delay of a killing frost. I spent the morning at William O’Brien State Park, nestled beside the St. Croix River. The park has a riverside trail that meanders alongside the St. Croix, and it also has an “upper” section with a prairie, an oak savanna, meadows and forests. This area was brilliant in color; the treeline was ablaze and the prairie grasses were golden. The sure signs of fall were the empty bluebird houses. These will remain vacant now throughout the winter with its snow yet to come, until we pass into spring and its burst of green.
Daybreak through the leaves
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.
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.
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