Travelling in the fall

One of my favorite times of year is the fall. As we creep ever closer to the fall of 2018, I can't help but think back to trips I've taken where fall firmly held its grasp on the weather and winter was waiting in the wings for a chance to outdo the splendor that is fall.


There are so many times I've taken trips to Northern Arizona to take in the beauty of the fall leaves. The courthouse square of Prescott and the Snowbowl area of Flagstaff both boast so many beautiful leaves in hues of red, orange, and yellow. I love wandering around the square in downtown Prescott over the weeks of fall as summer slowly loosens its hold. The monsoons have ended, and the air has a  bit of a chill in the mornings. I watch as the leaves change from bright green to those fall colors that just make one gasp at the beauty that nature is so happy to provide.

I'll never forget though, how surprised I was to see the touches of fall color when I visited Ireland. Along the banks of Swan River in County Donegal, the river water had been dyed gold by the pigments of so many rivers that had fallen along the shores and into the water. Mom commented how this phenomenon was common in Michigan and Muskoka. She was surprised to see the same thing in another country. This was a place I had always associated with green, and we did see a lot of green while there. Those little pops of gold in the northern part of the country was a happy surprise that we were lucky enough to see while on our trip.

One trip I took on the week of Thanksgiving found me in Sacramento, California. It was a beautiful time of year to visit. So many trees had changed their colors but hadn't yet dropped their leaves. The feel of autumn filled the air as I explored the town and walked along the banks of the Sacramento River. Even this late in the season there were still trees of brilliant hues all over the city. Because it was the week of Thanksgiving, fall decoration had given way to Christmas on buildings and in shop windows. But mother nature would not be rushed. She moves slowly in her glory; proudly exhibiting all of her seasons.