Stand of Birches, Late October

A big Halloween storm is coming, one that will bring heavy rain and high winds. For those of us who have been enjoying the gorgeous autumn colors, this storm will surely bring the leaf fall that heralds the end of the great show.

I was fortunate that my travels took me onto campus on this, the last day before the storm. And the foliage colors there have been, and are even at this moment, absolutely spectacular, among the best I've seen!

I would try to tell you about autumn, and how it feels to witness it first hand, but words don't do it justice. You could be walking along and there will be beautiful red leaves here, and bright pink roses there: autumn to the left, summer to the right.

Or you will approach a corridor and suddenly you will see all of the colors, layered around and above you, inviting you to walk in: red, and yellow, and orange, and all shades in between. It is growing late in the show and the reds are tagging along at the very end of the parade.

The foliage colors make and hold their own light. There is a glow over everything, even when the sun itself isn't there. It's like an Impressionist's sweet dream: dots of color everywhere. You can walk down those corridors of color and bask in them; enjoy the moment, for you know it will not last!

The trees around the duck pond are golden and the pond is covered in leaves. It was too early in the day for the turtle that basks on that rock there, but it was a pretty scene, nevertheless. (See the extras for that photo.)

The days are growing short and there is more darkness at the edges of everything. The rain and wind will be here soon, and they will wreck this pretty show. I try to grab all of the beauty I can. I spin my head this way and that, trying to see it, take it all in, my hands reaching out to capture it and hold on: no, please don't go!

Winter is coming, but before all of that, before the darkness and the wind and the storm, let's go out in a blaze of glory. Let us go with joy, with all of our pretty colors lighting up the world like tiny suns. Yes, let us SHINE.

The soundtrack: Jon Bon Jovi, Blaze of Glory.