A Season of Colour

Autumn is a glorious season with leaves flaunting their changing colours. Reds and oranges, yellows and the remaining greens. Each day brings new changes to the palette.



Change creeps in. Bits of leaves with dabs of paint - not yet fully transformed.



The reds are often among the first to appear.



The forest is home to many deer - silent, watching, aware.



We walked along the Parc Linéaire - le P'tit Train du Nord. Admiring. Breathing in the smells of autumn.

Autumn in the City

Everywhere you look the leaves are changing. The air has a crisp feel while underfoot the fallen leaves crunch under my feet.



Autumn is making her presence known.



While I try to briskly walk to my destination, I cannot help but stop and admire the splendour.



Moments in a day - in an ever-changing season. This is not the time to hurry past; change happens quickly.



It is the changing seasons that catch my fancy - spring and fall  - times of growth and change. Each day brings new wonders, new spectacles to savour.

Fall Comes

Photos: October 1-3, 2015

That splendid seasonal display is playing out. We managed to get away for a few days to the Laurentians where the wonders of the season were lit by bright sunshine.



What a spectacle! Time to stop and stare, admire, drink in the beauty.



We were walking along the P'tit Train du Nord, formerly a railway line, now a long park stretching and connecting across the Laurentians. Cyclists, walkers, dogs... a smile as you pass.



The milkweed has burst, sending out the seeds of next year's growth. It creates natural sculptures.



What a glorious time of year! Each day the changes are noticeable.



But it is fleeting. Each moment to be treasured; each day to be enjoyed.

A Little More Fall Colour

This year the colours seem to be nicer than ever. Even in the city, the reds are bright, as are the oranges.



I always have to stop and gawk. While gardens fade, the trees are putting on quite a show.

In All Its Glory

The sunny weather sent me off in search of autumn colours. I decided to drive up to CAMMAC as I needed to speak to someone there. This is what met me.



Each tree changes in its own time, first one leaf leading the way.

It is the symphony of colours that dazzles. Each leaf adds to the riot of colour.

Walking in the woods you can hear the leaves fall. They rustle past those still clinging to the trees.



On the forest floor the low growing plants show signs of seasonal fatigue. The once vibrant green is disappearing to be replaced by browns and sepia.




Last petals twist into sculptural shapes before they too drop off. The summer growth spurt has stopped. Now is the time for its last dance before the frost.

Walking

Slow Decay, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: October 20, 2013

An early morning walk - I always like a destination. I needed a couple of things so I walked enjoying the cool autumn air.

Autumn brings new delights. The many varieties of pumpkins and gourds are always fun to see.



Man made structures also bring visual interest. Walking, taking time, a great way to start a day.

Laurentian Lake

Laurentian Lake, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: September 25, 2013

It doesn't matter how many years I witness the change of seasons, each time it astonishes me with its beauty. We took a day to drive out to the Laurentians to enjoy the leaves. To me this is the height with the bold reds contrasted with the remaining greens.



It was a day of taking time. Time to sit and take in the view.



Time to meander along country roads and stop to enjoy nature's gifts.



Time to walk and talk.



Time to enjoy the fading evening light before a lovely dinner. And then back on the road to home.

Fall Fantasy

Fall reveals its seasonal splendour dressing the trees in fiery clothes.

Leafy carpets cover the grass, redecorating the landscape.



Trees compete to show off their fashion finery.



Cold rainy nights make the trees shiver and slowly drop their their leaves, revealing their woody skeletons.

Autumn splendour is ever-changing, a last fancy festivity before the long winter rest.

A Burst of Seeds

A Burst of Seeds, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Walking in the woods in autumn - even decay has its beauty. The milkweed has sent out its seeds: promises for next year.

Reflections in a pond - it is easy to imagine another world at  the bottom with the Lady of the Lake living there.

A few late leaves cling to the branches, though most of the trees are bare. They shimmer with the gold of the low lying sun.

Dead trees lie on the forest floor. Fungus takes hold helping to break down the old wood to bring new life. 

Getting Bare

Getting Bare, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Spring starts like a pointilist painting - dots of greens dabbed onto the trees. Now fall goes out the same way, with dots of autumn colours on the almost bare branches.

Soon greys will take over. I'm feasting my eyes on the last of the colours.

Leaves by the Brook

Leaves by the Brook, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

Photos: September 30, 2011
Another day, another walk, this time on an old railway bed which is now a linear park. A friend of mine cycled for a couple of days on this route. I'll stick to walking, or shorter cycling trips.

Despite the clouds, the fall colours were glorious. Again, there was the dichotomy of the vibrant reds and oranges and the plants whose colour has faded.

The path twists and new vistas delight around each corner. Water rushes along the river, over rocks, making babbling noises.

These old train lines were the doorway to the Laurentians. While it is wonderful to see them put to new uses, it is a shame that train travel is now more restricted to "profitable routes" - those between larger cities. Getting to the countryside now has to be done in a car resulting in traffic jams along the routes leading there.

Autumn Colours

Autumn Colours, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

A few days in the country surrounded by autumn's finery. Unfortunately the colours were somewhat muted by the clouds and rain showers. In a few moments of sunshine, I managed to capture some of the splendours.

I grew up with summers in the country. These flowers, which we called Indian Paintbrush (not sure if that is the correct botanical name) grew wild in the countryside. I love to see these hardy blossoms, still so colourful as many other flowers around them have faded.



The rain and wind have brought many leaves down. Even on the ground their bright colours bring a sense of joy.



We managed to walk between the rain showers - great puddles reflected the view above.

As the trees put on their colourful show the ferns lose their zip, with sepia replacing their vibrant green. Changes happen from day to day. And the nip in the air had us sporting hats and gloves to ward off the chill.