Walking into Fall

tanjabrittonwriter 73 Comments

Despite a recent absence of rain and above-average, record-breaking days (not the kind of records we aspire to), some signs of fall are occurring on time, thanks to satisfactory amounts of snow last winter and sufficient summer rains. In Colorado’s montane region (8,000 to 10,000 feet/2,400 to 3,000 meters) autumn equals aspen trees clad in autumnal attire, and it is a time-honored tradition for Coloradans and visitors alike to seek out expanses where said aspen can be admired.

One of our favorite go-to places is Mueller State Park. Located in neighboring Teller County no more than 32 miles (51 kilometers) from Colorado Springs, a variety of hiking trails offer access to stands of aspens, and on October 3, we hiked a six-mile (10 km) loop on some cherished trails. We were not disappointed.

Everything is made more magnificent with the help of an azure sky.

Lone aspen in a meadow. I take a photo of this tree every time we visit Mueller State Park.

Different view of the same aspen.

Diminutive fall forest on the forest floor.

“Back” (i.e. western) side of Pikes Peak as seen from Mueller State Park.

Small flock of Wild Turkeys strolling through a meadow, rendered particularly desiccated by a dearth of rain.

As an unexpected bonus, we were treated to a flyover by a flock of cranes. As is often the case, we heard them before saw them. There are few other sounds in nature that are as soul-stirring as the rattling calls pouring forth from long crane necks, and as reminiscent of the eons these birds have survived on this planet. They were taking their leave from summer and their breeding grounds in the greater Yellowstone area, flying southward toward New Mexico, where they hope to find refuge and nutrients to get them through winter in protected oases along the Rio Grande River.

A flock of migrating Sandhill Cranes, bidding adieu to summer.

During an era replete with daily anxiety-inducing events that seem to touch every aspect of life on Earth, I find it reassuring and comforting to find signs that suggest that some natural patterns and phenomena are still intact, even if they are altered. We humans would do well to alter our ways in order to ensure that our wonderful planet and all of its creatures will survive.

As a society we stand at the brink, we know we do. Though the hole that opens at our feet, we can look down and see a glittering blue and green planet, as if from the vantage point of space, vibrating with birdsong and toads and tigers. We could close our eyes, keep breathing poison air, witness the extinction of our relatives and continue to measure our own worth by how much we take. . . . Or perhaps we look down, drawn toward the glittering green, hear the birdsong, smell the Sweetgrass and yearn to be part of a different story.      Robin Wall Kimmerer in “Braiding Sweetgrass”

🕊🌎🕊🌎🕊🌎🕊🌎🕊🌎🕊🌎🕊

PS: I’m dedicating this post to all victims of recent and incipient natural disasters, and to all victims of human-perpetrated atrocities.

73 thoughts on “Walking into Fall”

  1. I am always impressed by the “availability of Nature in America. Often so close at hand. Huge extensions of land organised for hiking and visiting, within driving distance. I went to Grad school in the US, and the variety and closeness of well-preserved nature was fantastic. There are similar places in Europe of course, but not quite the same.

    (Not to mention in Mexico where it can be a bit difficult to find Nature close.)

    I support your pledge…

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  2. Hi, Mrs. Tanja,

    Thank you for the gorgeous pictures!! Fall is definitely my favorite season largely due to the foliage which you have shared.
    I was actually telling my mother yesterday that I imagine the autumn season in Colorado is particularly stunning, and you have reassured me of this.

    I hope you and Mr. Mike are doing well!!

    -Gavin

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    • What a nice surprise to find your comment on my blog, Gavin. Thank you for visiting and for commenting.

      The fabulous fall foliage is one of Colorado’s many wonderful gifts.

      All the best to you and the entire family,
      Tanja

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  5. That aspen is glorious, particularly against the clear blue sky. It’s a great time of year to get out into Nature, and bird migration adds an extra element of mystery…you never know quite what to expect, and a fly-past of cranes is a real bonus.

    And as reports of Hurricane Milton continue to dominate our news broadcasts here, your dedication of this is both relevant and poignant. Well said, Tanja.

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    • Thank you, Mr. P.

      I’m grateful for Nature’s wonderful displays at this time of year and the added experience of migrating cranes made this a perfect day.

      At the same time, I feel selfish for indulging in the beauties of this season when so many people have lost lives, livelihoods, or their homes and all their possessions to natural disasters (though I’m convinced that many of today’s “natural” disasters are aggravated or even caused by human-caused disruptions of the natural balance). We live in unsettled and unsettling times.

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  7. A beautiful post, both the words and images. I can only imagine how stirring it must have been to see those cranes fly overhead. I know the word “magical” can be overused, but it seems as though it must have been a magical experience.

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  8. Thank you, dear Tanja, for taking us on this beautiful walk in one of my favorite places on the planet. The beautiful cranes ~the migration, your quote, and dedication to the victims. Your heart is as beautiful as the nature surrounding you! I’m so thankful some of nature continues its typical path even though humans do its best to disrupt it. And sadly, even try to deny its existence and power. May your Autumn be as golden as the Quakies waving! Sending blessings (and lacing up my boots wishing I was there). 🍂💚

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    • Dear Karla,

      I sincerely appreciate your kind comment, thank you very much. 🙏

      So many of us have had enough of all the badness and negativity. Why can’t we use our collective consciousness and resources to do right by our planet and all its creatures? 😢

      I’m sending you all the light and warmth wrapped in each beautiful aspen leaf.

      Warmly,

      Tanja

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      • Oh, my friend, I needed that! The light and warmth wrapped in my favorite leaf!
        I appreciate you so much. It’s my blessing to be here and enjoy your writing and pictures. I’m sorry I’m not more active right now. Thank you for understanding!

        I stand with you in positivity and goodness! Humans make it messy and complicated (I’m one so I know lol~im guilty too at times!).

        “Why can’t we use our collective consciousness and resources to do right by our planet and all its creatures?” Yes!

        Sending hugs wrapped in the Ozarks autumn my friend.🍂💚

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      • Thank you for all your loving and positive thoughts, dear Karla. You should never apologize for being away from the blogosphere. While it can be positive and supportive here, spending time outside and experiencing nature is far more edifying and uplifting, so I wish you that you can spend as much time in the outdoors as you want and need.
        All the best,
        Tanja

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      • ❣️❣️❣️🙏🍂 I’m back working part-time, my friend. It’s a balancing act–some health hiccups, but I’m blessed. I hope to get in nature soon. I’ll be headed to Texas to see my oldest son and family for a bit. I’m using wisdom to balance it all the best I can. Not easy, but we all have struggles! I wish the best to you, always, dear Tanja! I think of you when I’m in nature. 🍂💛

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    • Thank you for the link to this interesting article, Steve. I knew that birds were navigating partly by the magnetic field but had not heard of “magnetite.” Nor did I know that we humans have residual magnetite in our noses. It’s intriguing to imagine that this might have once been enabled us to hone in on the magnetic field (that likely is no longer true for most of us now).

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    • Dankeschön, liebe Brigitte. Irgendwie scheinen wir unfähig (oder unwillig) zu sein, die notwendigen Veränderungen vorzunehmen, um auf globaler Ebene etwas zu ändern. Ich hoffe, daß sich mein Pessimismus als falsch herausstellen wird.
      Liebe Grüße zurück,
      Tanja

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  11. Beautiful photos, Tanja! Like you, our fall is warmer-than-normal and we’re very dry. Still the autumn plants are coming into their glory.

    Love your capture of the cranes, really great photo!

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  14. I can understand why it has become a tradition to visit the beautiful Aspens in your state, Tanja. They seem to shimmer in the sunlight with the yellow, green and touches of pink in their leaves. I am glad you included the quote by Robin Wall Kimmerer from, “Braiding Sweetgrass”. I am forever changed after reading her book. I wish everyone on the face of the earth had a copy of it. 💚💙

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    • Thank you, Julie. Shimmering aspen leaves in sunlight are a favorite experience of autumn around here.
      As we have discussed before, “Braiding Sweetgrass” had the same effect on me as it had on you. It is one of the most meaningful books (if not THE most meaningful) I have every read. I agree that everyone should read– and internalize–it.
      Warm wishes,
      Tanja

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  17. Oh, where to begin! So many treats here! I love when you post aspen photos.So clear against the sky, but I also love the goldish brown grass that goes on forever. Very zen and calming I always think. My “busy forest” habitat here is a whole different thing.
    And is that some kind of wintergreen on the forest floor?
    I’ve still never seen Sandhill Cranes, but I imagine it must be a wonderful sight.
    Thanks for posting all of these. it seems like each day I am depending on being in nature more and more to keep positive thoughts going.
    Best,
    Julie

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    • I so appreciate your comment, Julie, thank you! 🙏
      I feel the same way as you about spending time in nature, but even that time is tinged with sadness about all the changes we have wrought. It’s hard to fight a near-constant sense of dread.
      Aspen are perennial favorites, of course, and I also love grasses, but it’s a little sad to see them so dry and pale for extended periods because of a lack of moisture.
      The forest floor is covered in kinnikinnik, a native plant (https://www.wnps.org/blog/plant-profile-kinnikinnick).
      Take care,
      Tanja

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  20. Fall always leaves me feeling a little bereft: I miss the glorious autumn color of the midwest, and my year in Utah. Maples, sycamores, aspens — I always wish I could be among them. Maybe next year! That said, photos like those you’ve posted here are beautiful, and easy to appreciate. The year I first met aspens also was the year I was introduced to this famous photo by Ansel Adams. It’s interesting that he first considered photographing them in color, but his black and white image always comes to mind when I hear the word ‘aspen.’

    Cranes, osprey, kingfishers, and geese: all birds that make their returning presence here known by their calls. Hearing the first ones always is exciting.

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    • I can relate to that sense of loss during fall, because we known that the riot of color will be followed by bare branches and months of dormant vegetation. All the more reason to take in all the beauty now, then dream of spring during the coming months.

      For some people visiting Colorado from the Midwest or New England, our aspen seem a weak excuse for autumn, but we love everything about them.

      Once our ears are attuned to bird vocalizations it becomes a fun and uplifting exercise to identify them by ear first before catching a glimpse of them.

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  23. Thank you so much for bringing us “flatlanders” a bit of autumn. Our migrating birds let us know that fall is on the way, but our forests still only show us green when it’s wet and brown when it’s dry.

    We were fortunate to find colorful Aspens when we camped in New Mexico several hundred years ago. Your lovely photos bring back those great memories.

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    • Thank you, Wally. New Mexico has some wonderful aspen forests and we have enjoyed autumn there as well.

      I think you win when it comes to numbers and variety of migratory birds both in the spring and fall, and they bring with them even more colors than trees. 😊

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  24. “ Es ist nicht deine Schuld, dass die Welt ist, wie sie ist.
    Es wär nur deine Schuld, wenn sie so bleibt.“
    Refrain Songtext Die Ärzte Deine Schuld.
    Alt, aber passender denn je…
    Colorado ist wirklich farbenprächtig! Ein schönes Fleckchen Erde.

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  30. Thanks for the stroll Tanja – I am a bit laid up thanks to planned (and unplanned) damage from the October ultra race and enjoyed getting out for a walk – even if it was virtual! Take care.

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    • Thanks for stopping by and for commenting on so many older posts, Brian. No need to apologize. I know how busy you are with training, racing, Halloween prep and take-down, birding, etc. . . . 😊

      I hope you are recovering!

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