The golden hues of last fall are a distant memory as winter sets in early in the Pacific Northwest. It has been barely a year since I had visited the this amazing region, exploring the rural countryside of New England, driving around rivers ensconced in forests, rolling hillscapes, petite pastoral communities and rustic farmland, in search of splashes of colors in nature.
White Mountains
NH USA
Fall is here
As the summer winds down, the mercury drops, the weather gets wetter, and the leaves start changing color, heralding the arrival of fall. And every year, I feel like retreating to a cozy log cabin out in the woods, wrapping myself in a warm blanket with a hot mug of coffee in one hand, and a book in the other, listening to the sound of a crackling fireplace.
Though the photographer in me would probably scream to get out and photograph the amazing colors outside.
Franconia Notch
NH USA
When in New Hampshire
The weather forecast called for partly cloudy skies with pleasant conditions. But where I was, standing in freezing rain and overcast conditions, the sky clearly hadn't gotten that forecast. But all that didn't matter, for what I was seeing was a sublime fall scenery in the heart of New England.
Standing atop Artist's Bluff in Franconia notch that foggy morning, a carpet of gold stretched in all directions, carpeting the Appalachian range. The twin lanes of the Franconia Notch Parkway stretched into the horizon, bordering a still lake reflecting the golden hues.
Immersed in the tranquil scene, I momentarily forgot about the freezing winds and sleet as I rushed the bluff. Until I stopped shooting.
I wanted to stay and soak in the colors, but there was terrain to cover. And I was glad to leave the frozen bluff that beautiful morning.
Franconia Notch State Park
NH USA