Monday, November 4, 2013

Mostly Larches

After a week of gloomy grey skies, Sunday is sunny and clear. Temps are in the 40s and the wind is strong and cold. A good day for a walk.

The colours of fall are shifting now to gold and copper and bronze. Oak and ash, birch and maple, aspen and larch are all aflame under the blue autumn sky.

The trees on the corner stand in a sunshiny sea of golden leaves:


Today I am taking the railroad grade trail, which borders a marsh and a lake. Along the way is an oak tree whose leaves are changing from green to rosy brown:


In a gap of the trees I see the distant glow of larches:


The sun shines through these red oak leaves and makes me think of Tiffany glass:


More larches appear, just off the trail:


And here is the trail itself, looking like something out of a fairy tale as the sun tips with gold all these oak-tree tops:


Underfoot is an autumn mosaic:


I reach the gate that usually marks the turning point of my walk - but where are the "No Trespassing" signs? Look at all those lovely trees beyond the bars. I am tempted, very tempted....


I succumb. Through the bars I go, to be greeted immediately by the most glorious stand of larches:


I had no idea so many larches grew back here. They overhang the trail with feathery branches and delicate cones:


Red-twig dogwood grows in the marsh opposite. Its stems, which turn grey in spring and summer, are once more taking on the vivid colouring of the dormant season:


The trail leads on, through glorious clumps of birch (or aspen?)* and oak....



Under the trees a leafy carpet is beaded with moisture. (From what, I wonder? It hasn't rained today.)


On every side the larches blaze with a gold so intense I can't stop taking photos of it.



Eventually it's time to turn around and retrace my steps. I climb back over the gate, walk under the yellow and bronze of aspen (or birch?) and oak...


...and along the still-green trail towards home.


A beautiful, beautiful walk under the blue skies and fiery leaves of fall.

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*I think I've been confusing aspen with birch for some time now. Will have to start paying more attention to bark colour and leaf shape! :)

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15 comments:

  1. Your autumn is so breathtaking! And how wonderful you still have leaves. Most of ours are gone with the wind...

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  2. The larch tree reminded me of our bald cypress. I looked it up. What do you know? They are in the same family.

    Beautiful pictures. The larch and the birch are beautiful!

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  3. Somehow fall seems more colorful and more golden this year then usually... I hope it lasts a little more while we enter into November.

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  4. Thank you so much, for making the time to share your views of the world around you, Sue. So beautiful!
    Gracie :)

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  5. Are you sure you are not a botany teacher? I learn so much about plant identification from you and your lovely photos. And my neighbors would shoot me if I walked on their property. Enjoy where you live. It is beautiful there.Linda

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  6. A beautiful nature walk! Thanks for the wonderful photos! Such vibrant colours!

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  7. Thank you for taking us on your walk Sue, the photo's and the colours are beautiful. :)

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  8. Thank you for sharing a wonderful walk through nature.

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  9. Lovely Autumn Colors. Thanks for sharing. Hugs Judy

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  10. The larch is a wonderful colour - so warm and bright, you must have caught it pretty much at it's best. They look like aspen to me although it is hard to be sure from the photos - pretty whatever they are! Juliex

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  11. Beautiful trees, love the close up of the larch. The only thing I've ever known about larches is Monty Python using them in a sketch.

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  12. Beautiful pictures. I enjoyed the walk.
    Sunday morning it was sunny here too and when the dog woke me to walk him I went out to the sight of the sun just hitting the top of the sunny yellow leaves on the tree by the park. It looked almostr glowing. Of course no camera or phone on me. I thought about going up stiars to get the camera, but the fractured foot said I don't think so.. A missed opportunity .

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  13. Wow, what a beautiful journey in this post Sue. I cannot believe how stunning those Larches look, thank you so much for sharing. I was driving through the country side today and was amazed at how dappled and beautiful all the trees looked. How blessed we are with sight to enjoy nature in all it's changing beauty xox Penny

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  14. What a beautiful Fall! Our leaves turned here all of a sudden and caught me by surprise. I am enjoying the glory while I can.

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