The Other Side of the Mountain

"The bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, to see what he could see.".......well, maybe not the bear, but how about the "truck went over the mountain.......". Ron and I went in search of fall colors today......we didn't find any until we had gotten over Stevens Pass, and then the mountains just exploded with color.....bright red vine maples, red huckleberry bushes and yellow maples among others. The challenge was trying to find a spot to take a photo that would work.

This little pond caught our eye......it was right beside the highway, so we had to find a place to pull off, and then walked back to this pond. The reflection was nice.

I had to try a multiple exposure, just to see what it would look like.......it turned out sort of like an impressionistic painting. (this is 10 exposures together.)

Vine maples are so gorgeous! I would love to plant several in our yard.

We drove up to Lake Wenatchee, but the colors were less intense there, and we couldn't find the right shot.....but I thought this maple tree among all the fir trees really stood out. We drove down to the west end of the lake.....it got a bit bumpy.....Ron kept wishing that we could put the truck into 4-wheel drive.

At the very top of Stevens Pass, just past the Ski Resort, we pulled off the highway along a powerline road. The entire hillside was covered in brilliant color. I wish that we could have gotten closer, but we couldn't find a way up the hillside, so we had to be satisfied just using the telephoto for this shot. At least it gives you an idea of how colorful the whole area was.

We started driving along the powerline road, but it didn't get us anywhere.....but the trees were still beautiful.

I love the fall.....it brings back great memories of when I was a kid growing up in Eastern Oregon, and the times we could go up in the mountains to chop wood, or visit our friend's cabin, or go snowmobiling. I love the smell of the pines on the east side of the Cascades.....there's just a different feel to the forest there.

October is my favorite month....probably because of the coziness that it brings......crisp nights, still warm days, fire in the fireplace and the smell of cinnamon rolls baking. Most of all, it brings memories of times with my family. I sure wish that I could share some of this with all my grandchildren. I think of the Thanksgiving hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth", when I see the colors and splendor of fall....and then count my blessings. We live in such a beautiful world.