The Beauty of Fall & Winter Seasons©

Written by American Author Sky Taylor

The Magic of Fall Foliage, Tips for Seeing Autumn Colors

Don't miss it! Fall foliage is a very unpredictable display of nature. At this point, you'll want to decide on an area you'd like to visit then find an information source that provides timely updates, such as a state park.

If you plan to visit a state park, you may want to call in advance and ask a representative about the fall foliage. Some state websites suggest fall foliage routes that can provide hours of enjoyment and photo taking opportunities.

Some things to keep in mind when it comes to fall foliage:

- colors may suddenly peak, and dissipate swiftly

- color intensity is dependent upon many climatic factors such as temperature and rainfall

- sunlight, rain, clouds - all of these elements will effect the colors

- there is a small window for peak colors

So, grab a picnic basket, load up the car with the family, dust off your camera and hit the great outdoors before the magic ends.

Here are some brilliant colors that were spotted by our camera amid the turn of autumn:

FALL FOLIAGE VIEWING IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Fall is my favorite time of year! The heat begins to leave the civilized jungle and fall colors move into the area. It's a nice welcomed change.

The prettiest fall colors that I've had the fortune to view reside in Arkansas. One particular year we were visiting the area to view the fall foliage and as we rounded a wide bend in the road - BINGO! A long strand of tall trees attractively attired in golds, reds, oranges, burnt umbers and a smidgen of green came into view, completely mesmerizing both Tom and me.

I just wanted to stay in that place forever, for indeed at that moment, I had truly died and gone to heaven.

TREE & PLANT IDENTIFICATION FOR FALL COLORS: As for leaf color, the following trees & plants render these colors:

Hickory - yellow

Buckeye, Blackgum, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Sumac - red

Dogwood - Brownish red

Red Maple - Red, yellow or orange

Sassafras - Orange, red or yellow

Sweetgum - Red, yellow or purple

And then....nature glides us into the next season..

WINTER IS ALIVE, A NATURE STORY

A story about winter.... The pristine white snow, soldiered trees standing naked against the north wind, and desolate plots of land that once overflowed with wildflowers all mark the deity of winter. Though the landscape appears dead, the deception lives...

The wind was kicking up from the north as I stumbled along the unclear path of an unmarked trail in a rather dense strip of backwoods. It was painfully cold; even the heavily insulated parka was inept in keeping the warmth contained.    Snowdrifts rising six feet and more totally surrounded me, the brisk winds churning up small white tornadoes of the white powder, making my journey more difficult than I could have ever envisioned.

My breath was coming in short pants, half due to my body’s reaction to the cold, the other half due to the intense physical exertion. My wool facemask was stiff and damp, the vapors from my mouth becoming immediately frozen as they hit the blustery cold.

I was in desperate need of a break, for I calculated that I had been traveling five miles straight, perhaps more in the aftermath of the blizzard, pausing only once. One tends to lose track of time, and of distance-traveled in such bitter circumstances. I did know that my legs cramped from the cold, I was certain my eyes had frozen, and my lungs ached from sucking in the brisk air.

Searching the dead of the woods, I spied a fallen tree that spanned a good fifty feet across the white blanket of new snow. Slowly, I made my way to the tree and settled in, attempting to huddle in an effort to capture what body heat I had left in me.

It felt good, just to stop moving for a moment. Only a couple more miles and I’d be there. Only an idiot would run out of gas ten miles from home on the empty back roads, I silently chastised. And I couldn’t have chosen a more inopportune time, a time when this part of the world was wrapped in death.

A screech from the top of a tall naked tree collected my attention and I gazed at the big brown bird searchingly, then to his left where a huge nest rested in a crag. I then noticed several more nests suspended from the tree, obvious signs that life had once existed in these woods.

Then it stuck me, that though these woods were wrapped in the arms of winter’s peaceful sleep, not all slept, and certainly, not all were dead. With this in mind, I rose and as I continued along the uncut path that led towards home, I made a point to identify the living haunts of nature along the way.

I saw perhaps hundreds of birds, all shapes, all colors, flying in the gray edges of the sky, clipped onto tree limbs, and standing in the stream that ribboned to the right of my journey. At one point, I caught sight of the tail end of a fish that jumped up into the vapors hovering over the stream, then swiftly vanished.

Flashes of green echoed here and there, peeping through the white layers of snow, from the ground, from the trees, from the brush.
As my warm house waved into view, the sun was beginning to make an entrance through the fog of the gray sky. Home. Finally home.

And as I entered its warmth, and headed towards the roar of a crackling fire, another thought struck me. Winter itself was alive, the snow, the gray sky, the slothful stream – etched into the fabric of our living world.

Wicked Waterfalls & Waterwheels in Oklahoma USA

These are just a few of our beautiful waterfall photos that were taken in Oklahoma during the spring to summer time of year.

This photo was shot at Natural Falls State Park. The park offers a myriad of photo opportunities for the nature photographer.

Below the basin of the falls lies a swamp-like area filled with otter, deer and other wildlife indigenous to Oklahoma.

Therein lies a fragile ecosystem that tails off with charging falls when rainfall is plentiful.

The other photos here were taken at various stop-points along our way, including the Heavener-Runestone State Park, which is a must-see for any nature lover.

There is also a wishing well of sorts located within the park.

Our only regret was that we didn't allow more time for exploration.

The authentic Runestone rests within a stone-walled nest with other interesting artifacts. The discoveries prove that Columbus wasn't the first explorer to the New World.

Heavener-Runestone State Park is lush, green, and is very cliffy. A hiking trail ropes around one tall cliff of the park where one can obtain a magnificent overview of the area.

Birds are very plentiful within the park. Nesting opportunities abound.

The wetlands are also a very big draw. Don't forget to check out spots along the Illinois River. I'd highly recommend renting a canoe.