And so it begins...

Can you find Winter in this picture?

How about here?

Ah, there it is, lurking in the first colors of Fall.

Fall is easily the best season here in the North Country. The colors can be extraordinary, it's football season, the air is crisp at night but comfortable during the day and everyone has that contented feeling from knowing the hay is in the barn and the hard work of Summer is over. The only problem with this is that you have to make a conscious effort to forget the fact that Winter, a hard Winter, is just around the corner. So we bask in the fleeting beauty and pleasantness of Fall while willfully ignoring what is just around the corner. In other news, I'm off to Africa today for a month. When I return the Fall colors will be at their peak (even if I'm not) and I promise everyone the full treatment of beautiful pictures. See you in a month!

Summer's almost gone...

The neighbor's son with his first trout.

The late Summer garden.

Ditto.

Our late season wild flowers around the pond.

The daily swim.

Indian Joe Pye Weed, a beautiful late Summer flower around the pond, much beloved by the bumble bees.

The folks around here call the period from 15 July to 15 August "High Summer". Other regions of the country may employ the same term, but I first encountered it here. The weather didn't really make it feel like "High Summer" during that stretch this year, but we are now enjoying some really nice warm sunny days with moderately cool nights. So even though the dates have come and gone, I thought it would be nice to capture the feel of "High Summer" with a few photos even as Fall is pushing its way into our consciousness a little more each day. More about that tomorrow.