End of the season -- in Boulder and Boulder County

Above Eldora before the rain and snow began.

As the rain and snow began, the leaves were shining in a mass and dotting the mountains.

Weeds shining in color over Boulder Creek.

A few red leaves over the creek.

At Walden Ponds, about an eight minute drive from my condo.

Actually I'm a day late. The snow began before midnight and is still falling. I'm going to wait to post photos of the white stuff and share a few of the season that passed last night--that of our fall colors. In Colorado they are mostly yellows and golds with a few touches of red here and there. I have enough fall photos to leave my camera at home next fall, but I probably won't. I am inspired and warmed by the abundant fall color (even though I miss the oaks and maples of Tennessee and Missouri).

This is not the first snow I've encountered this fall. A couple of weeks ago, I drove up Boulder Canyon through Nederland and Eldora and hillsides covered with golden trees. It was a bit past the prime color, but still glorious. A weather front was moving in, and I wanted to catch the color before the rain and wind I expected began. From the Hessie trailhead, I walked farther and higher looking for landmarks and a view of the highest peaks. Clouds had covered the sky as I turned around. I continued to stop for a photo here and there and soon large raindrops were falling on my head--oh yes, and on my jacket and legs too. And as I thought I was going to get wetter than expected, the rain changed to snow. My camera couldn't reproduce the beauty of the large white flakes falling against the golden aspen, but trust me. It was stunning. Yes, by the time I reached the car my tights were wet and my gloves soaked through. The car's heater warmed quickly, and I drove out of the snow before reaching the top of Boulder Canyon.

Many fall days I've spent in daughter Michelle's office. It's a pretty spacious office over their garage, but it's not the same as being outside on a warm fall day. So when I had last Friday afternoon free and took a library book back, I started up the Boulder Creek path, camera in hand. I was only going to walk a few feet up the path, snap two or three photos and return to the car and errands that needed to be done. Two hours plus later I returned to the library parking lot and my car. I felt renewed and joyful as I exchanged pleasantries with others on the path.

I've captioned these photos more than usual, and all were taken in Boulder County. The first ones are at 9,000 + ft, high above Boulder. The creek path meanders through downtown Boulder and the shots taken there were not far from the library. Walden Ponds is a Boulder County open space area near where I live. The way I now reach my photos means I don't always know what I'm uploading. I didn't mean to include the tree from the ponds, but here it is.