Thursday, September 25, 2008

the spontaneous season

Colorado's seasons are very distinct -- it's one of the things I love most about my new home state. I've always wanted to live in a place where leaves change colors, where snow glistens, where blossoms bud, where warm sunshine meets cool breezes. And I particularly love how spontaneous these changes are here in Colorado -- the first snow always seems to come from nowhere, the first green leaves of spring always burst in giant clusters, the first summer thunderstorm always scares the beejeezus out of you...

But no Colorado season arrives as suddenly as autumn. Early last week I noticed nothing unusual when I pulled into my normal parking spot at work, but by the end of the week the tree I normally park underneath was solid gold. I've always thought autumn comes on gradually, like gray hair, but here in Colorado it buys peroxide and goes bleach-blonde overnight. The very next day, the three trees surrounding that one had joined in the bleaching party, and gold abounded everywhere. This week, the leaves are mostly on the ground and the limbs are already bare...

Not to be outdone by the quick-changing leaves, the sunshine even gets in on the act. One day I'm coming home from church in the fading glow of sunset -- and the very next, I have to remember to leave the porch light on because it will be pitch black before I get home.

No warning, no gradual changes here... autumn in Colorado just spontaneously combusts. And I love it!

1 comment:

Kim Z.W. said...

Aww. I miss Colorado. There are no trees to turn pretty colors down here in Del Rio...the scratchy grass will just go from less dead to more dead, and it will get slightly colder for a time. Boo. Enjoy it!!