Autumn is coming

And the birches are its herald.

My feelings are mixed. 

On the one hand, I feel sad seeing the summer shades of green start to fade.

On the other, I look forward to the cold, clear air and beautiful yellow-orange shades of autumn.

On the third, I still remember the near-monochrome browns and blacks of the winter past...

... but the coming winter will not be the same as the last one. This time, we have hope. Vaccines. A year ago, they were a vague notion still in development; now, they are known to be safe, effective and already a reality for 80% of the adult population.

We'll see how it all adds up.