An Autumn Scene

This sugar maple tree at the southwest edge of our property was so beautiful the other day that I had to take a few snapshots of it. The colors were nearly at their peak, and rain and wind hadn't yet ripped off the leaves and mashed them into a wet mush on the ground (which usually happens right when the leaves are looking their finest in the Midwest).

I installed the tree bench several years ago, and it's a lovely spot to sit and look out across the fields (planted this year in soybeans, which are turning yellow at harvest time). It's an especially nice vantage point from which to watch the sun set in the west. In the summer, the leaves provide cool shade at midday, and in the fall, it's a warm place to sit in late afternoon, while munching on an apple from the nearby apple tree.

It's unfortunate that such scenes are so fleeting, but like flowers, summertime and youth, they can be breathtakingly beautiful while they last, and lovely to hold in your mind after they are gone. I hope you're able to enjoy your own autumn scenes where you live.

Thanks for reading! -Beth