First Autumn Colors on Campus

We've had some rainy weather this week, but the weather does not stop me, as I have mentioned before. I drag my camera along everywhere, yes, even in the rain. If you followed me around campus, you might laugh to see me dragging it out of my (battered) camera bag and juggling it, trying to keep it dry under my umbrella, then shoving it back in the bag.

My adventures on this day took me through campus to a meeting downtown. (It also included a lovely late breakfast at the Corner Room; wow, my second breakfast out in the same week. Lucky ME!) The autumn colors have really just started here, and I thought it would be fun to show you a bench and tree that I like on the mall below Pattee Library.

The charming little building in the background is Old Botany, and you've seen it here on blip just once before, from a slightly different angle. The bench is one that I admire often, but hardly ever sit on. (As is the case with most benches in my shots - apparently I am one who is not much for sitting.)

It is interesting to note that the tree in the photo has leaves attached that are still mostly green. However, if you look at the ground and sidewalk around the tree, they are littered with red leaves from the very same tree.

In fact, I was standing on some of the tree's red leaves as I took this shot; so I myself have (quite delightedly) become part and parcel of the autumn phenomenon! The remainder of the tree will turn red at some point soon before the rest of the leaves fall.

I wanted the song to accompany this image to have the word fall in the title, and so here is a favorite from the 80s, when R.E.M. was brand new. (My personal favorites may be their albums Document and Murmur, but if you're a fan, don't bother trying to decide; just go ahead and get that multi-CD set, Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982-2011. You'll thank me later.) Anyway, here's the song, and this version is live and unplugged. Here is R.E.M. with Fall on Me.