It's officially Autumn. Weeks past the autumnal equinox, the hours of daylight have grown noticeably shorter. Evenings are cool enough to trigger the off switch on chlorophyll production in deciduous leaves and fall colors blaze in full neon glory throughout the region. Drifts of dry, faded leaves from our vine maple litter the yard, blown into corners by swirling winds.
But Mother Nature seems confused by our recent stretch of unseasonably warm weather, triggering flower bud formation on magnolia trees, blossoms on rhododendron bushes and fruit on our Asian pear trees. It's October, so what's up with the new pears developing on trees that have already produced a bountiful crop?
I'd settle for an extended period of mild Indian summer weather, but forecasters predict a return to cool, wet and windy any day now. It's Seattle, so changeable weather is no surprise. Keep the rain gear handy, but head outside with a camera and enjoy the change of seasons.
