Color of Autumn

I had to drive to Barnesville this afternoon. I stopped by the house to see Cindy and help deal with the satellite installation dude (I think that was his official title, although his name was 'Damon'). After the completion of that task and taking Tex out to wait in the pen (a short sentence of incarceration), I drove down to Barnesville and the courthouse for Lamar County.

About two weeks ago, Fall finally arrived. We have been skeptical about Fall this year, since the weather has been so dry. However, it turned cool about two weeks ago, and the leaves on the trees began to turn. We fully expected the leaves to fall quickly and just have bare trees for the rest of the season. However, we have been pleasantly surprised with the amount of color the trees have retained.

Anyway, as I drove down through South Spalding and North Lamar Counties, I took notice of the wonderful colors of the deciduous trees in the area. We don't have that many maples but we do have a lot of sweetgum and dogwoods. You don't really notice it until this time of year, because the evergreens (those old southern pine trees) seem to predominate. However, at this time of year, the oranges and scarlets and yellows come out and it really becomes pretty.

As I drove back from Barnesville, I decided to take the old Dixie Highway through Milner and Orchard Hill back to Griffin. The trees along this route were really something. I hope it will last maybe a couple of weeks longer.

As we head toward the end of November and the beginning of December, I have to say that I really like early December, also, when the leaves have mostly fallen and the pine straw covers the ground. Late in the afternoon, when the sky begins to darken and the clouds look like white brushstrokes across the baby blue of the sky, I really love the utter peacefulness you feel when driving through the country. Everything softens and the coolness of the temperature and the colors on the horizon match the fallen leaves from the trees. It is hard not to find God's love in your heart at times like that. Even the velvety purple of the coming night in the eastern sky is a comfort.