Gold Turns to White

In the Rockies, you should not get used to any one color. Just as we were enjoying the yellows and oranges and golds, in comes a mother of a winter storm, and the palette of the landscape changed. Today, it is white on green, or white on yellow. Most of the gold and orange leaves have blown away. The rosemary in the front yard looks slightly dejected and limp. The snow swirls around on the deck in fascinating patterns. The aspens, which were just beginning to enjoy their new autumn dress, are now shivering in the wind, loosing leaves both green and gold. For some, this winter storm is too early and too harsh. As a Texan now living in the North, this is a reminder of why I moved up here. I genuinely like the snow. Today, though, I just miss not having the fall colors around a bit longer.

Fall Colors on Drinking Horse Mountain

We walked up the new Drinking Horse Mountain trail yesterday. It was a clear, breezy, cool day, and the trees and ground foliage were yellow, red, orange, and an almost translucent orangey-gold. I love fall!

I found a quote today that caught my attention, and that I think appropriate for the memory of our walk. From a Nintendo game, no less!


"Fiery colors begin their yearly conquest of the hills, propelled by the autumn winds. Fall is the artist."
- Takayuki Ikkaku, Arisa Hosaka, and Toshihiro Kawabata, Animal Crossing: Wide World, 2005