the tree

Fall in "northern" Minnesota is spectacular. For the past week the trees have burst into awesome mode and have donned vibrant hues of orange, yellow, and red. Since this is our first fall in our new house and new neighborhood, we had no idea what sort of color we would be surrounded by. But let me just tell you, it's better than I expected! There's one maple tree in particular that I love. About a week ago, its leaves started changing from the top down, making it look like someone had dunked it into orange paint - half orange-yellow, half bright green. And just this weekend it made the full transition to its fall coat.

I love everything about fall - the leaves, the colors, the soup, the coziness - but I always feel like it's a little bittersweet. It is such a fast and fleeting season that begins with vigor and vibrancy, but after a few weeks the grass has turned brown, the trees are left bare, and the frosty mornings warn of the winter slumber to come. There's a sense of urgency to immerse myself in the height of autumn's beauty because I know that even over the course of a couple days, a tree's fiery leaves will loose their color and float to the ground, eventually winding up in one of many yard bags or compost piles.

So immerse myself I did. The drive up to Alexandria this past weekend was one of the most beautiful fall drives I've experienced. The highway and county roads were bursting with burgundies, oranges, and golds. The Painter really knows what He's doing.