Fall Colors
It is bittersweet that I am not in Alaska as it was so much
a part of my life these last twenty years being away from Atlanta and the
South. I think that both places and the
people there can take things for granted as we sometimes forget just how
beautiful it can be or accept without thinking all that is going on around us. It is those little things we see each day on the
way to work or driving somewhere that is in front of us but we may be too busy
to notice with all the things going on in our lives. Making a conscious effort to pay attention or
stop for a few seconds to notice the sunset, the beautiful flowers all over
town or in neighbor’s yards are all things that make our day better without us
realizing it or costing us anything other than time. Slow down and enjoy things wherever you are.
Many people in Key West or living on the beach stop most
days to watch the sun slowly drop below the water on the horizon getting a
feeling of calm satisfaction on taking the time to stop and notice the beauty
of such a simple thing. If you are lucky
you may see the “green” flash as the sun drops out of sight which is pretty neat
if you are fortunate enough to see it.
Those living in the mountains or on lakes have other beautiful things to
see, the loons on the lake or listening to a mountain stream making it’s
wonderful sounds as it moves over the rocks or drops into pools along it way to
some larger body of water.
Some of the constants from the South are how beautiful it is
in the spring when all the flowers are in bloom. Azalea bushes in shades of pink, white, and
even dark purple are all over the South and are highlighted every spring in
Augusta at The Masters golf tournament.
Bobby Jones had in mind a hard course layout, beautiful walks over stone
bridges and each hole gave a unique look with an almost indescribable beauty as
one played the course or were spectators during Masters Week. The cherry blossoms along the many walks by monuments
in Washington DC are vivid reminders of the constants in our lives in so many
places here. The monuments remind us of
our heritage, traditions and resolve as our nation had begun and continues to
be part of who we are as peoples from all walks of life.
Alaska has several as well; Halloween usually has snow on
the ground most years with children dressed up in snowmachine suits to keep
warm then covered by large costumes to go out trick or treating for candy or
other items. It always looked a little
strange and funny to me as many looked like the Sta-puff man all puffed up but
the kids seemed to not care and always enjoyed this unique way to spend
Halloween. Many children do not know any
difference in how the rest of the country does Halloween.
The beautiful drive down Turnagain Arm, one of two arms of
Cook Inlet which is one of my favorite drives in the world, easily rivals the
Pacific Coast Highway in beauty and grandeur.
The Seward Highway hugs the dramatic shorelines of Turnagain Arm,
arguably one of the most beautiful stretches of highway in America. Chugach
State Park's 3000-foot mountains jut up on your left from the water’s edge. On the right, the sprawling, sometimes
four-mile-wide flats of Turnagain Arm seem to stretch like a plain to the
opposite shores of Cook Inlet, where mammoth sloping mountains abruptly stop
their flat expanse. Each turn reveals
another scenic wonder. Beautiful
mountains line both sides of the inlet with very different looks whether it is
low or high tide or you drive north or south along the water’s shoreline.
Many times during the year there are “Bore tides” which many
suffers or wind kite riders use the twenty plus miles of flowing bore tide to
ride the waves from just outside Anchorage all the way down the Arm past McHugh
Creek Recreation Area, Beluga Point Lookout, Windy Point, Bird Point Park,
Girdwood and on down the road to Portage Valley.
Returning to the South this summer I had almost forgotten
how beautiful the fall season is here with the trees especially in the
mountains changing colors and blanketing the mountainsides with the vibrant
colors or reds, yellows, greens and a few purples. Colorful leaves falling in the neighborhoods
have made me appreciate leaf blowers and how much I had not missed doing this
needed chore every fall.
Alaska’s
version is beautiful light fluffy snowflakes falling in this almost synchronized
rhythm depending on how much the wind is blowing. These light fluffy flakes are so soothing and
relax full watching the in front of the fireplace but quickly can become a pain
once you are outside with a shovel or snow blower trying to remove the now
heavy white beauty from your driveways or walkway around the house. It’s the trade-off between the beauty and the
work involved after a snow event but it’s all good.
Get out and enjoy this time of year with the sky so blue
against all the beautiful colors. It will make your day go a little better, a
little more serine and a lot more enjoyable.
This is something that all of us need on a daily basis, a calmer more
enjoyable time in our lives.
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