Fall Color Freak

Vine Maple
Originally uploaded by Rozanne.

This photo is one of about 40 (!) I took last Sunday while hiking the Multnomah Falls-Wahkeena Falls Trail. This one is the best of the bunch. Our digital camera (probably one of the very first ever manufactured), sadly, was not up to the task of fully capturing the incredibly luminous, lemony yellow of the thousands of vine maples and bigleaf maples along the trail. Nevertheless, it was a joy to be in their midst. Does that remark seem a bit too effusive? I mean it. I am a fool for fall color. Such a great fool, in fact, that I allow it to dictate to a not insignificant extent how I dispose of my income and my free time.

A few examples:

• I spent several hundred dollars to have the Hedgehog dig up and chip the spectacularly unspectacular horse chestnut trees on the parking strip in front of our house. After much dithering about whether I approved more heartily of the clear yellow of ginkgos or the arresting scarlet of red sunset maples, I chose the maples.

• Every morning for the past month, one of the first things I do when I wake up is look out the window and take note of the leaf-turning progress of my prized red sunset maples. They seem a bit slow off the mark. Currently, the leaves are a cheerless, muddy brown-pink. I am very much hoping that this will give way to the vivid, fiery red I feel I am entitled to. If not, I may have to throw a tantrum.

• Last year, I went to Hoyt Arboretum every weekend in October and was thus able to perfect and memorize the definitive leaf peepers' route. (It is available for a small fee.)

• I've spent every fall scouting various Portland neighborhoods* for outstanding specimens of fall color and especially pleasing juxtapositions of fall color. I make weekly pilgrimages to these sites.

• When planning my trip to Chicago, I took into consideration that peak fall color here occurs during the first two weeks of November. That was one of the factors in my decision not to travel to Chicago until mid-November. One of the factors, not the only factor--I'm not completely bonkus in the konkus!

*If you happen to live in Portland and you happen to be a freak like me, I suggest you treat yourself to a stroll, bike ride, or drive down the hill on NE 33rd (from Fremont down to Broadway). If that leaves you hungry for more, continue on to Laurelhurst Park and spend a good hour there--those Olmsteds sure knew what they were doing.