Transition Weekend

It has been a quiet week along the old National Road here in the Heartland. It was the peak of color for this year. It recently looked like it might be a rather unremarkable leaf season, but after the sugar maples went to yellow-orange-red the ridge lines came alive with the bright yellows of the tulip poplars and hickories. By Wednesday there were more turning trees than green ones. On Friday morning only the pines and junipers and cedars were still all green.

Saturday was glorious. We went out just at first light to go to breakfast at a little diner right on the National Road, something we don’t do often. Afterward we went north just a few miles to look at a splendid herd of dairy cows happy on their rich green pasture. On the way back we went past a waterfall and a scarlet covered bridge tucked in among glowing golden leaves. Our trip made for a late lunch at home, then pleasant work in the afternoon in anticipation of the cold coming early next week. The wind kicked up here and there and the leaf blower helped clear fallen leaves that would make little runoff dams along the driveway.