Our fall colors are just about at peak right now, with some trees already dropping their leaves and others like the oaks yet to turn. The show stealers at the moment are beech, which are bright yellow, and maples, which can be red, orange, yellow, and sometimes even pink. I think I saw them all at this beaver pond.
This maple was quite red. Oaks are an even deeper red and can sometimes border on purple. When some oak leaves dry they turn pink.
North of Keene on the Ashuelot River the foliage was yellow and green but it seemed like every nuance of each color was represented.
The tree with red leaves in this shot has the bright yellow leaves of a bittersweet vine nearly at its uppermost branches. Invasive oriental bittersweet vines (Celastrus orbiculatus) are as strong as wire and they strangle many native trees by wrapping themselves around the tree’s trunk like a boa constrictor. I’ve seen vines as big as my arm wrapped tightly around trees so as the trees grew they had no room to expand and slowly died. If you want to rid your yard of bittersweet vines this is the perfect time to do so because they’re more visible right now than at any other time of year.
The spread of Oriental bittersweet vines is helped along by humans. At this time of year people use bittersweet vines that have fruit on them to make wreaths and table decorations for Halloween and Thanksgiving. The berries are green for most of the summer but slowly turn yellow as fall approaches. Finally the yellow outer membrane splits into three and reveals a single, tomato red fruit. At the end of the season people throw the used vines onto the compost heap or out in the woods and the fruits grow to become new vines. Birds love the berries too, and also help the spread of the plant.
Many people think bright sunshine is the only way to go when viewing fall colors but from a photography standpoint I think the colors are at their best on a slightly overcast day. In this photo the colors seem almost bleached out by the sun.
Keene sits in a kind of bowl surrounded on all sides by hills, and this is one of them.
This is another hillside view, with a favorite shack included for a sense of scale.
The Virginia creepers (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) are beautiful this year. This one had a bit of purple on it and reminded me why my mother loved it enough to plant it on our house.
In my opinion one of the most beautiful shrubs in the fall forest is the maple leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium.) Its leaves can be red, orange, purple, pink, or even a combination of all of them all before turning to a pale, almost white pastel pink before dropping. You can see both purple and orange on this example.
Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) gets its common name from our early colonists, who noticed that it was very sensitive to frost. Usually by this time of year these ferns would be brown and crisp from frost but since we haven’t had a real frost yet this year this example is slowly turning white. In my experience it’s unusual to see this particular fern doing this. Lady ferns (Athyrium filix-femina) do the same each fall and are usually the only white fern that we see.
If you want to get really close to the colorful foliage rail trails are the perfect place to do it.
Beech leaves glow in the sunshine. If you’ve ever wondered what being inside a kaleidoscope would be like, just walk down a wooded New England trail on a sunny fall day.
Once again this year I missed most of the foliage at Perkins Pond near Mount Monadnock, but seeing the mountain itself was worth the drive. Last fall a Japanese couple, through mostly sign language and broken English, asked me to take their photo in this very spot with the mountain behind them. It was the only time I’ve ever had my hands on an Ipad and I didn’t know what I was doing, but they seemed very happy with the photo. This year I met another Japanese couple here and they had a Nikon DSLR but they didn’t ask me to take their photo. As I was leaving I wondered if I stood here long enough if I’d have a chance to try out every kind of camera made.
I was surprised to see large mats of orange sphagnum moss growing just off shore in Perkins Pond. There wouldn’t be anything unusual about seeing peat moss at a pond’s edge except that these weren’t here the last time I was, and I was surprised by how fast they had appeared. This one even had cranberries growing already on it.
I found this scene last fall and it reminded me so much of scuffling through the dried leaves as a boy in grade school that I had to go back and revisit it. The sight, sound and smell that comes from wading through freshly fallen leaves crisping in the sun are things I’ll never forget.
You might not have the colorful fall foliage that we have here in New England but don’t despair; I can guarantee that nature has something every bit as beautiful for you to see right where you are. The only condition is, it won’t come to you-you have to go outside and find it. Today might be the perfect day to do so.
There are some places so beautiful they can make a grown man break down and weep. ~Edward Abbey
Thanks for stopping in.
“If you’ve ever wondered what being inside a kaleidoscope would be like, just walk down a wooded New England trail on a sunny fall day.” Perfect! and the comment about scruffing through the fall leaves, the sound, the smell the textural crunch…Ah, New Hampshire at its finest!
Thanks Martha!
Beautiful colours. Well worth the walk I think.
It was!
We don’t have your colours but I agree with your sentiments and I can enjoy my autumn over here for what it gives us. Amelia
Thank you. Yes, nature seems to always provide something beautiful, even if it’s only the clouds in the sky.
Happy fall colors to you. As distant as central Texas is from New Hampshire, one thing we share is Virginia creeper, which is indeed a delight once its leaves turn colors (which ours are probably still at least a month away from doing). I’m sorry to gear about the invasive oriental bittersweet vines in your area.
Thank you Steve. That’s interesting; I didn’t know that Virginia creeper grew there. I’ve also discovered recently that it grows in England and Scotland too, where I would think it would be slightly invasive. It’s beautiful in the fall though so I’m not surprised that they wanted to import it.
Yes, Oriental bittersweet is a problem here but I think more and more people are learning about it and trying to control it. It does add a lot to the fall foliage colors, which have been really fantastic this year even for those of us who live here.
What a magnificent display of colors! Wow!
Thanks Montucky! This has been a great year for foliage colors. It’s no wonder that people come from all over to see them.
Aaaah! Like fireworks. There’s a reason New England is famous for fall color.
Yes, and this year nature has put on quite a show!
Another beautiful post, Allen…full of wonderful things.
And Edward Abbey was most correct, too…..
Thanks Scott!
I found out that the Edward Abbey quotation comes from the novel The Monkey Wrench Gang:
http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2803318-the-monkey-wrench-gang-monkey-wrench-gang-1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Monkey_Wrench_Gang
That’s interesting Steve, thank you. I’m not an environmental activist but I understand them.
From ouest Islande Mtl Que Can: Thank you for sharing your colors with us. My eyes and soal glided from one picture to the other with haw and inspiration. Please if you may post more of the bittersweet images and bush; it is surprising jewelry.
Also enjoy the hidden brook along the lake… many mauves and purples surprused me. Stunning congratulations and Blessings. Thank you. DDH.
Thanks very much Dahlia, I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
This blog is searchable and there are other images of bittersweet on it. If you just type “bittersweet” in the search box in the upper right hand corner you’ll find them.
It grows everywhere here so I’m sure you’ll see it here again.
What a palette you had to choose from! I am always envious when I see the brilliant autumn colours from the other side of the Atlantic. However, I am less envious when I read your descriptions of the winters which follow.
A beautiful portfolio today.
Thank you. Yes, fall is always a double edged sword for me for just that reason. I’m not a real winter lover and they can be brutal, so I have to try and enjoy the foliage without thinking too much about what comes next.
Love the fallen fall leaf in water with the wonderful reflection. The whole photo series is pretty fascinating.
Thank you Charlie. I hope you’re having a colorful fall as well.
Absolutely beautiful. Our fall colors consist of drab green and a few drab greens with a hint of yellow. So, I really enjoyed every picture of your blot.
Thanks! That’s too bad that you don’t have a little more color there. I’ve never heard much about fall in Illinois, so I wasn’t sure. I’m glad you got to see some color here at least!
We can have pretty falls. It just seem to happen often enough.
Wow, Allen. A sight I have yet to see but New Hampshire in autumn is a must. Dave
I hope you make it over one day Dave but there’s no real hurry; since we have 4.8 million acres of trees these colors aren’t going anywhere soon.
I have been looking forward to this post and it is as good as, if not better than I’d hoped it would be!
The growth of the moss is very interesting. I suppose that those areas in the pond were exposed during your drought but had enough dampness for the moss to thrive. Do you think they will survive if the pond fills more during the winter? The growth of the moss and cranberry bushes could ultimately change the shape of the pond.
Thank-you for a beautiful post Allen.
You’re welcome Clare, and thank you.
Michael Nerrie of Distant Hill Gardens in Walpole told me that his pond turned into a floating bog mat of peat mosses and other plants in about 10 years, so it can happen relatively quickly. Since they float on the surface they can stand the raising or lowering of the water level. I don’t know if this patch of moss was floating or not but it will most likely spread and could eventually cover the pond. At least theoretically.
My goodness! What amazing stuff!
Absolutely gorgeous photos of the fall colors! with some interesting information on the ferns and things to go with the photos.
You’re right, the colors of the leaves pop more on an overcast day, my favorite time to photograph the leaves is just after a rain, which cleans the crud off from the leaves and makes them shiny. I thought that this weekend would give the right weather up north, but instead of rain, they’re getting snow, yuck.
Thanks Jerry!
Today we had sun and clouds so one minute you were setting up for bright sunlight and the next shade. It’s had to get it right under those conditions sometimes.
It’s too early for snow anywhere.
The weather has been wonderful for getting out to walk and see the foliage. It’s a joy to do so and to see your photos as well! The beaver pond shot is gorgeous!
Thank you Eliza. I was just thinking today that we couldn’t have asked for a better foliage season. The colors are fantastic everywhere you go!
Just a note on getting at the oriental bittersweet. I would suggest marking the location and trying to get it out in the spring, when the seeds are not on it. Cutting it this time of year would likely cause more seeds to be spread as they fall off the vegetation. According to Steve Roberge, the time to tackle invasives is just after leaf out in the spring when they have transferred all their energy from the root to the plant to produce the leaves. That way, you are doing it when the root is at its weakest point. Fall is when the energy goes back into the root.
That’s a good point Kathy. Thank you. It would be easy enough to mark the vines.
Reblogged this on Dawn of Divine Rays and commented:
Thank you, Allen, for another lovely post. Happy Weekend. Namaste
You’re welcome and thank you for the re-blog Agnes. I hope you have a colorful weekend!
You’re very welcome, Allen and thank you … the colors here are changing and it’s getting way too cold .. too soon. Current energy update is that we will have a more ‘brutal’ winter than the last one and more snow too … so … do prepare for this, okie? Take care and God bless. Namaste
Yes, we got the cold today too along with a freeze last night that ended the growing season.
I do hope you’re wrong about the upcoming winter. We’ve had bad ones in the last two years so I think we deserve a break.
Have a great week!
You have a great week too, Allen. Namaste
Love the shot of the leaf!
Thanks. That one had nice color!
Thanks for sharing your great fall color photos. We’ve been camping in NY/PA for the last few weeks, and it seems like we’ve either been just ahead, or a few days too late to enjoy peak color at any given spot.
I did see a group of about six white ferns on a hike, and was struck by how much that pale color added to the palette of the foliage around it.
As always, a wonderful post.
Thank you Judy.
I hope you’ll catch up the the peak colors! The more north you are the more likely they will have already happened at this point in time.
Yes, the white ferns do add another dimension to fall. They make you think a little more about what is really happening and how it happens, I think.
Good luck foliage hunting!
A wonderful showing of our autumn colors. I was just at Perkins Pond the other day. The colors this year have been amazing. If you are out and about today, it is Peak into Peterborough! I’m having a fine art show at The Need For Speed Garage (across the street from the Diner)
Thank you Laura. The colors really are outstanding this year. That garage used to be Rymes, I think. I’m not sure if I can get to Peterborough today but if I do I’ll certainly stop in. I didn’t know you did fine art showings!
Rymes still owns the building. I’ve been trying to do more shows. The blog helps promote the images and the shows help promote the blog. Thanks to Facebook sites like Monadnock Region and VisitNH I’m really starting to get noticed!
That’s great Laura. I hope “getting noticed” comes with some kind of financial reward. Being a starving artist isn’t that much fun!
Wonderful images of the spectacular New England foliage, Allen. Just yesterday I was out taking some photos of our more muted colors on a cool fall morning. Each location has its set of changes that mark the progression of the seasons and I like your recommendation that everyone should go outside and see what is in store in their local area. By the way, I chuckled as I read your reminiscence of wading through the fallen leaves as a child. I too did that and I remember raking together big piles of leaves in order to jump into them.
Thanks Mike! I’m glad you’re seeing some color there too. I wasn’t sure if the foliage turned much in that area. As I said in this post though, I’m sure you have many other beautiful things to see if it doesn’t. I’ve seen quite a few of them on your blog, in fact.
I don’t think anyone could ever forget their childhood memories of fall in New England and I’m not surprised that you remember it so well. I think it becomes part of us somehow.
Thanks for showing us your beautiful autumn colours. My favourites were the ones including reflections in water. We do have autumn colours too here which I really enjoy but they are not so splendid as yours.
You’re welcome, and thank you Susan. I’ve seen some great colors reading U.K. blogs but they do seem to be more here and there random rather than everywhere like they are here. Here you couldn’t miss them if you tried.
that means winter is soon
Yes, it is supposed to snow a little in the northern part of the state today.
I HOPE MALAYSIA HAS IT
That’s not likely but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. It has snowed in Florida here in the states, which is usually very warm. The trouble is with the snow comes the cold and it can get very cold here. I’ve seen the temperature drop to -35 F (-37.2 C).
for us is none:(:(:(