Fall, You Win Again

In the past day or so, I must say, my least favorite season has pulled out all the stops in a valiant effort to win my heart. 

^ Streams of popcorn clouds zoom across the sky above a row of brilliant trees. The low light of late afternoon sun set the scene aglow, and the effect was breathtaking.

^ A sweet little maple along my usual walking route. I can't decide which I love most - the vibrant yellow leaves or the spicy red stems. Either way, when lit by the late afternoon sun, the combination is dazzling.

^ My daily outing also takes me back among the high school athletic fields, and I often get a glimpse of the Knights' football practice, where boys are being made into men. Someday, I will record all their grunts and shouts and chanting...that definitely adds to the experience. 

^ In the front yard, my enormous red maple tree has already dropped all its leaves. I'll be enjoying these graceful and delicate bare branches till next April, when the first buds of a new season will burst open.

^ On a whim, I decided to gather a big handful of colorful leaves, each one from a different tree...

^ ...and then I laid them all out on the dining room table, arranging their colors and shapes into patterns, playing with them this way and that. This ombre configuration, which highlights the infinite variations of nature's paintbrush, was my favorite, hands down.

^ Even Ranger seems to be in the fall spirit, choosing to nap in a very uncharacteristic but appropriately colored place. His mahogany coat is always a perfect match to the autumn palette, and the fall-ish tones in this rug complemented him perfectly, filling my heart with seasonal spirit. 

Okay, fall, I admit it. I can't resist your brilliant colors, sparkling sunshine, and spirit of transformation. You win again.