It Begins

Our weather has definitely turned fall-ish: nights getting near freezing with frost in some places, days sunny but brisk in the upper 50's. Trees have not been readily responding though. For weeks I've only noticed a few trees turning color. The maple these leaves came off of has looked so drab that it was a slight surprise to get a close look and see the leaves doing this very slow turn.

The birch behind my place has also been doing a slow turn. It never goes all at once or even a section at a time, but a few here, a few there. These are from a quaking aspen which is also doing a slow turn while the cottonwoods they mingle with show no sign of succumbing to fall. They are almost leathery compared to the more fragile maple leaf.

I really do try not to bring more leaves home, as I have so many pressed and filed away as it is. But this is what I came home with the other day. I think the yellow bunch are from cottonwoods, although the stand that I walk by is still very much green while the stand a few blocks away has turned yellow. More of the aspen in the middle, quite a bit of subtle and not so subtle variation. They would be good for monoprinting, if I'd just get that geli plate and some paints out. The ones up in the right corner are off the same tree. Why, I wonder, are some bright red and some dark, almost brown, burgundy? And why do I keep bringing them home?

A strange October, none of the turned trees very bright (we've been in drought so that is probably why), many still having very green leaves while mingling with those trees starting to turn, and some standing totally devoid of leaves. Hoping we don't get an early snow before all have a chance to drop. In contrast, I've gotten out some very richly-colored quilts with an autumn theme - one to drape over the chest in the livingroom and one to hang on the wall.