amur maple

Some of the invasive species we deal with here in Vermont got started because of their attractive ornamental appeal either as flowering trees in the spring or because of their fiery red leaves in the fall.  Burning bush is one example. Another is the amur maple which is native to Asia. Its red leaves in autumn are among the most brilliant, and it tolerates cold very well. Most of the trees I've seen in the wild are just outside nurseries like this one. 

fantasyland

The fall foliage season is past peak, but there are still some beautiful scenes to see out there. As a matter of fact, I was driving Route 7 on Saturday, and saw some trees in the Brandon area that were intensely bright. They didn't even look real. I have been living in Vermont for over 30 years, and I can honestly say I don't ever remember seeing leaves more brightly colored than the ones I saw on that day.
It is not unusual during this season to see someone half pulled over on some busy byway, taking some photos of the scenery. We jaded Vermonters scoff at such behavior. I have often said to myself, this is not Disneyland. There are people who actually live here, and need to use these roads for the usual daily activities. But for 2-3 weeks in October, Vermont does indeed have a Fantasyland quality to it. It does feel like another, more beautiful world.
The other reality is that some years the foliage is remarkably brilliant while in other years it is more ordinary. The last three years have been of the remarkable variety. I don't ever remember that happening before. The only potential down side is that the ensuing winters the last two years have been much colder than usual. I hope that pattern is not repeated in the coming months.

scrape

We've had amazing weather for months. The leaves are beautiful in the sun, but also on cloudy days. Some trees are so bright that they seem to create their own light. Flying leaves behind trucks on narrow roads look like they are coming out of the exhaust pipe. A frosty night creates an annual autumnal experience; scraping ice off the windshield with my comb.

impermanence

The cows have headed back to Clarendon. I finished mowing the last small field yesterday, and now the tractor has departed as well. Finished up the wood pile the other day. It's sort of like a New England version of a Tibetan Buddhist sand mandala. There's a lot of work involved in putting it together, but it ultimately all just turns to ash.

Grasshopper-
Do not trample to pieces
the pearls of bright dew.
Issa

or milkweed

Bows and flows of angel hair

And ice cream castles in the air

And feather canyons everywhere

I've looked at clouds that way.

But now they only block the sun

They rain and snow on everyone

So many things I could have done

But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down and still somehow

It's clouds illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all

Joni Mitchell

October light

Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day, the peak of the fall foliage season. The following first appeared on this blog/journal in October, 2009.

At this time of year it's possible to see leaves in a different way. I usually think that the natural state for leaves is for them to be attached to a tree, but now that seems as sensible as saying the natural state for a horse is for it to be tethered to a hitching post. It seems that leaves only reveal themselves, show their "leafiness" when they are finally liberated from their mooring on the ends of branches.
On a windy day it gladdens the heart to watch them chase each other down the road. They seem to be in such a hurry to get to wherever it is they think they're going. It is uplifting to drive under a cloud of leaves released by the wind from tall trees. They resemble a swarm of butterflies heading south for the winter.
On a calm New England morning, when the time is right, they just calmly melt off the trees, and drop softly to the ground, like hot wax dripping off a candle. Some of the leaves seem to have figured out that they would be better off indoors out of the cold and damp. They congregate outside our front door at home, waiting to get in. Quite a number of them do make it inside. One can find them happily ensconced on the door mat in the kitchen at home, and in hallways and offices at work.