Autumn Pond

When I returned home after several days in NYC, I could see that the fall color had taken a huge jump towards peak color. The hills are now dotted red and orange, and trees nearby are bright as though lit from within. I think that colors are especially rich on a gray day such as today, and the dark water of the pond sets off the plants around it beautifully. There are still some asters blooming, a cheerful note amid the drying grasses.

Some ferns turn deep orangey-red in the fall, and are glowing against the gray water.

A volunteer maple, bright yellow, stands tall before a reflected tree.

I love seeing birch leaves floating across the pond, their physical presence in harmony with reflections.

An explosion of warm colors: Queen of the Prairie leaves and seed heads, floating leaves, red reflected trees.

Stepping away from the pond for a final photo, here is a taste of the color on the hillsides below my house. Each year it is a joy, a time of magic to be treasured.