Fall Leaves and Winter follows

When we moved north of the Mason Dixon line in 1983, my dear Professor and I did not know what to expect. We had both known only two seasons in Texas, hot and hotter, and most of the trees in both of our necks of the woods, even though separated by 500+ miles, were green all year long.

Imagine our surprise that first October in Syracuse. Three year old Principessa, five year old Preacher and I collected as many of the leafy jewel colors that we could find to share them with "Granny" back in Houston. When cleaning out Dad's house last fall I found an old manila envelope with pictures of our first yankee home and a few of those leaves still pressed in wax paper.




The dreary gray days have already begun here in the Frozen North, along with the lengthening shadows. The sun now sets to the south side of our road. The nights are cooler.

I first noticed the leaves falling sometime in September. They were few and green as they danced in the wind.



Last week they were burnished by the setting sun.



Today I lunched in the park surrounded by greens, reds, and golds.







As I drove home from work, clouds formed and lightening flashed.





But the jewels shone brighter still.



And the last of the summer flowers laughed in the wind,





as fall leaves and winter follows.