Fall Fancies - The First Turnings

It's the first Wednesday in October here in upstate New York, near Binghamton, and fall has arrived.

We live in a four season area and each season brings its own joys and its own sorrows. For many people here, fall is their favorite season. The joys are so numerous -  trees turning color, apples, pears, pumpkins, winter squash, cider, festivals, the harvest.  Crisp, or sometimes foggy, mornings. And, if we are lucky (we have been recently) blue, warm afternoon skies.

This was taken on Sunday, a day of "perfect fall":

A pond, with clouds reflected in the water, taken by a friend near Windsor, New York.  It was so still that day. This area has received its first frost, but in the Binghamton area, we (mostly) haven't.  At least at lower elevations.

Frost improves the color.  And, it will come. But, the yellow trees have taken the lead in a year where we had three frost warnings in September.

Every fall is different.  Every year a different tree takes the lead.  This year, it is the locust.

Now, my photos.

A tree glowing in afternoon sun in Johnson City, New York.

A parking lot in downtown Binghamton, a city of about 47,000 people.  What a contrast this tree gives against a perfect blue sky.  Our area experiences so many cloudy days, a blue sky day is cause for celebration.

A burning bush at the Broome County library garden. (Yes, our library has a garden.)

In that same garden, a multicolored rose flower. OK, not fall like, but it was there.

Also downtown, an orange geranium. Yes, this is the actual color.  Orange is a fall color here.

And finally, I buried myself in this tree, and looked up.  Lost in the glow, I forgot what comes after fall as I drank in the beauty.

After the frost,after the last leaves slip off the tree, after everything turns brown and the first snow flurries come.

Winter.  In the land of 80-100 inches of snow,  I do not look forward to the slipping and sliding (and, increasingly, falling) of winter. Or the shoveling. Or a long list of other things. Freezing cold.  Months before I can garden again.  Long nights and short days.  An anemic sun low in the sky.

But until the nasty winds of November come with their promise of winter, I will bask in the early fall warmth.  And I'll sip some cider in its honor.

What is your favorite time of year?