Colors of Autumn

We have come to the end of the coldest, wettest summer on record here in Calgary.  To add insult to injury, the rest of the country sweltered through one of the hottest summers on record.  Due to surprisingly cold overnight temperatures, the leaves turned early, in some cases causing odd things to happen.  Take these leaves for example.  They are poplar leaves, which usually turn an even smooth yellow color with little variation.  These however, got slightly frost-nipped before they were ready to turn, giving some really interesting colors and patterns.  The inside yellow color actually mimics the shape of weeping birch leaves.  The pay off for the summer that never was is that the leaf colors are the most brilliant I have seen in many years.  The trees glow as if lit from within.  It's especially dramatic against the gray, brooding skies.
Do you remember starting school in the fall when you were a kid?  In elementary school almost the first thing we did every year was gather leaves to draw and color.  I still love doing that, and it still reminds me of being a child when every thing was beautiful and everyone was an artist.
Watercolor pencils in Moleskine.