Fall around the Lake

 It's always such a joy to take a walk around the neighborhood, especially this time of year.  Each season brings its own special beauty but as I have said before, this is my favorite time of year.  Of course the Northwest is known more for its evergreens, but we do have some pretty fall color.  Unfortunately, between working, planning for a trip and redecorating there hasn't been much time for walking.  But as I was driving home from work yesterday I realized that I had my snapshot camera in the car and so I stopped to take a few photos to share of some of the lovely sights I see as I drive to and from the school each day.  

We are starting to pass the peak of color so these two maples are starting to shed but they still look beautiful.

I love driving past this row of trees each day.  The red tree in front is a Japanese Maple.  The others, I think, are some kind of cherry tree.
 

 Coming down the hill towards the lake I always go past this little old house with this beautiful big tree in the yard.   I wish my little camera had been better able to capture the golden color of the the leaves cascading down from the branches.

As I was standing there I could hear the sound of the little creek behind me.   After our long hot summer it's good to see and hear the sound of flowing water again.  It's a spawning creek and we were concerned the kokanee (fresh water salmon) wouldn't be able to make the trip this year.  By the end of November we will see them making their way up the stream.
 

Each morning I drive up this little road on my way to work.

And each afternoon I drive back down towards the lake.

And my heart, as always is filled with gratitude.

My little snapshot camera couldn't really capture that true essence of this fall afternoon but it made me stop and take a few moments to enjoy this lovely tableau of color spread before me instead of rushing home in a whirl of business, forgetting it is a gift.  And so I leave you with this verse from Genesis 8:22

"while the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease."