Just a quick note today to celebrate the autumn equinox and the start of my favorite season of the year. Summer is the time of easy travel and access to the backcountry, winter brings appealing extremes of weather, and spring the greenery of a new season. But autumn seems to have a bit of all of these things, at least here in California, and in some ways the best of each of them.
Today the calendar says “fall,” but the weather is still more summer on this part of the west coast. The edge is off the heat for the most part, but it is still pleasantly comfortable. Yet, after the relative stasis of the summer season, things are beginning to change once again. Back in early September I saw the hints in the Yosemite backcountry, but they are even more unmistakable by now. Up there the aspens are starting to turn colors and will soon drop their leaves. (See “Sierra Nevada Fall Color Season – Coming Sooner Than You Think!“) Even here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the air feels different — and we are watching the weather forecasts, hoping for the first real rain (which may come later this week) and for snow in the mountains. Soon that snow will fall up there, and we’ll be fully into the interesting weather season. And it won’t be long at all until migratory birds return to my favorite locations in the Great Central Valley.
So, here’s to autumn!
* “Autumn Afternoon, Merced River Cottonwood Trees” was originally posted here.
Morning Musings are somewhat irregular posts in which I write about whatever is on my mind at the moment.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist whose subjects include the Pacific coast, redwood forests, central California oak/grasslands, the Sierra Nevada, California deserts, urban landscapes, night photography, and more.
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