Pt 1; Fall Foliage
In his Nov.4,2008 blog post Danservations, Dan'l of The Future Was Yesterday said:
"I miss the spectacular free art shows the autumn leaves up north gave each year, but I sure as hell don't miss what comes after that! Our leaves here achieve a high degree of likeness to dirty bath water every fall, then they fall.
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"A picture is worth a thousand words." Now it's only worth a copy of Photoshop."
(Or Photocopy or Blogger)
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I envy our more northerly neighbors for their glorious Fall Foliage but do not envy their ice and snows. Acclimated to the Gulf Coast sub-tropical weather, I do not tolerate cold very well. One day of our very rare snows is joy enough for me. Children run around with heads thrown back, mouths wide open like crazed chickens, trying to catch a snowflake on their tongues. We rob the neighbors' lawns of their small accumulations of snow to build an anemic snowman or have a snowball fight - then it's back to the fireplace and that's enough fun for one day. And ice? Houston drivers are crazy enough when encountering "liquid sunshine" from our frequent thunderstorms, but they are positively insane when there is ice on our numerous overpasses, bridges and spaghetti bowls that become nightmares from hell. Not to mention the terror of black ice. Sneaky, diabolical, blasted stuff that surely robbed me of ten years of my life.
COMMENTS:
Labels: fall foliage - pt 1
posted by Anonymous @ 11/09/2008 03:08:00 AM
My inlaws (ex-inlaws actually, but I still call them mom and dad) are traveling through the states right now on the way to Arizona to hole up for the winter. They timed their transcontinental trip so they could enjoy the fall colors. Gorgeous.
Monday, November 10, 2008 9:19:00 AM
Ah... I remember fall in Central Texas. Fall is the night when all the leaves turn grey and 'fall' off the trees. After that? Winter.
Monday, November 10, 2008 1:16:00 PM
fjb: Gorgeous, indeed. That's one reason why I posted Pt.3 (below) so anyone interested could see photos of such beauty.
kvatch: "leaves turn grey and 'fall' off the trees"
Same song, second verse here on the Gulf Coast. Some turn a sickly yellow first. UNLESS we get an early frost and the Chinese tallows turn great colors as in Pt. 2 of posts below; also the maples in central Texas are wonderful.
Monday, November 10, 2008 3:55:00 PM
Your pictures were breath taking!! Michigan color was always best when temps were sailing along at 45, 50, with high 30's at night, then all of a sudden - WHAM!! A good ole hard freeze zapped everything. I'm not talking about a pussy willow night of light frost and below 32 for a half hour....I'm talking 32 at 10PM, 25 at Midnight, and 20 hy daybreak!!
Then the woods would just catch fire!!
Monday, November 10, 2008 5:23:00 PM
Thank you, Dan'l. I wish I could see in person the "woods catch fire" BUT I don't know about enduring such cold. I spent one winter in Philadelphia, PA. and hied my Texas self back to the Gulf Coast. I had enjoyed as much as I could stand - although the countryside and mts were lovely. I must be satisfied with photos OR take the drive up to Lost Maples State Park.
What a great idea. I'll add that little tour to my and the Wild Child's "bucket list" we're compiling.
Monday, November 10, 2008 9:46:00 PM