Becoming Fall

Up here in the North Country, the time of year can sometimes be determined by what fruit is in season.  For me, besides the considerably cooler temperatures of this past week, apples are one sign that fall has begun. 

Many varieties are already at area farm markets and fruit stands; others are about ready for picking.

Wooden crates line the rows of area orchards and are ready for filling, as the apples are picked.

But apples aren't the only sign of autumn.  Colorful mums now grace the bridge boxes in the village.

Pumpkins and winter squash are appearing along the roadsides.

But the sign of fall that many people wait for and enjoy the most is the changing color of the foliage.  Here and there spots of orange and red are beginning to emerge on the trees.  It won't be long before leaf peepers travel the county roads in search of our beautiful vistas.

While we're a long way from peak, some colorful landscapes are beginning to show.  Prairie grass has browned and the trees at the edge have begun changing too.

But the foliage isn't the only thing in nature that's changing color.  My herd of white-tail deer, usually reddish or golden brown in the summer, has begun molting and the new coats are markedly grayer and darker.  With this new coat, they'll be better camouflaged against the bare tree trunks.  The new coats also help the deer better absorb the heat.  We definitely have entered the transition from summer to winter, but fall brings delights of its own that we don't want to miss.