When I did my last post, Summer was in full swing, but the first colors of Fall were starting to peek out from under a blanket of green. What a difference a month makes! I returned from my working jaunt in Benin, Africa to find Fall in firm control and the colors rioting across the landscape. The question of course is whether we are already at "peak color". Up here in the North Country the concept of "peak color" is much debated and very important. Peak color is a mythical moment when the Fall colors are their most vibrant, most beautiful and most plentiful. It's a fragile moment that a strong wind, too much rain, not enough rain, above average heat, above average cold, inadequate sunspot activity, earthquakes or large swamp gas releases can adversely affect. There is never broad agreement each year about when we have reached peak color although most people can come to an agreement about when it has passed. As a flatlander, I have never had the privilege of witnessing peak color although native vermonters promise me I will some day if I manage to live here for at least 20 years. Still and all, I would have to say that in our little corner of Vermont we have reached peak color or something very close. That's not true West of us where Lake Champlain moderates the temperatures, and peak color is probably long gone up along the Canadian border. We're going to take a drive up the Mad River Valley this Sunday to see how the colors look over there. Updates to follow.
p.s. It was the rainy season in Benin and apparently it's the rainy season here as well since it's rained every day since I got back.
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