On the Path -- October 17th, 2011

Another walk, another post. I just about didn't take a camera along today since I did a couple days before and thought I probably wouldn't find much new. I don't know why I hesitate, the camera that I take is a small one and isn't a bother whether I get any shots or not.

And I didn't get anything exciting, but there's always something to catch your eye, even if it's just some leaves, a few berries, or a patch of color. Fall is too short and too colorful  to resist and I never tire of soaking it in and photographing it. And there's color everywhere.

The flames on the edges of Sugar Maple leaves starting to flare.

And some at a later stage on fire.

A green leaf stands out as much as the colorful ones when it's on its own.

This tree has lost its bark but its trunk has aged to colorful shades of brown & gold.

Tiny red berries on a tall bush.

The woods at the top of the path are a small haven in the midst of our busy city. When you're in them the city feels like it's a 1000 miles away. The trees are a mix of hardwoods... Sugar Maple, Birch, Beech & Hemlock.

These Beech leaves seemed to be floating above the forest floor. They're on a Beech sapling so they're only about 4 ft off the ground. 

This happens to be the same leaf I captured the other day but it's dry today. It's an interesting contrast to the next shot of the same type of leaf, nearby its cousin, that's a very different color.

Most of the trees on the path are still predominantly green so the "tunnel effect" that's on parts of the path will last a bit longer... but before too long the leaves will drop and the tunnels will be gone until next year.

As I arrived back home, our garden gate caught my eye with the Virginia Creeper vine competing with Jane's basket for attention. Virginia Creeper has every fall color imaginable in it, from the brightest reds, to yellows, burgandies, oranges, greens... it has them all. We missed its prime this year since we were away but it still has lots of color.

I planted a single Virginia Creeper plant years ago, but it now covers about 70 feet of our backyard fences and has crept forward to the gate at the front of the yard. We're constantly pruning it back but it just keeps coming... which is "a good thing" as Martha Stewart would say.

I'm still hoping to capture a large stand of Sugar Maples somewhere but time in running short. This is the first year we've missed going to Algonquin Park in 14 years... maybe I'm not going to catch a large display this year.

- fini -