It happened overnight!

What happened? you ask. An abrupt change in the warm weather we have enjoyed recently. Much cooler temperatures and a few raindrops moved in last night, but that’s not all bad. There’s a positive side to cooler temperatures that I mentioned in my Arboretum post yesterday. Cooler, crisper nighttime temperatures may bring about the glorious, vibrant fall colors we hope to see when October rolls around. Those rich autumnal hues are our last celebratory hurrah as five months of frigid, frosty weather breathes down our necks.

Don’t misunderstand me for a winter wimp though. While nobody would call me a winter weather aficionado (I don’t ski, skate, or own a sled); however, I do possess a good pair of boots, a set of cleats to make my boots safe for winter walking, and all the other winter weather necessities, including hand warmers to carry in my pocket on my regular trail walks. I also encourage people to go trail walking in the winter. It’s good for the mind and body. However, October, with its deep blue skies and vibrant colors, is my favorite month…a time that I treasure.

So today I am sharing a few pictures I took on yesterday’s trail walk in Holden Arboretum. If you saw the fall color images I posted yesterday, you know that I promised that today’s post would be the pictures I took from the top of the Emergent Tower. There is still a lot of green in the tree canopy, but the reds and some oranges are showing up in certain sections of the landscape, and Lake Erie is clearly visible on the horizon in a few of the shots. Take a look:

NOTE: If you missed my earlier posts on climbing the Tower, you can see them HERE and HERE.

That’s it for today, fellow trail walkers. I hope you enjoyed the climb. It was a little crowded on the Tower because it was a holiday. When I made the climb just after the noon hour, I was the 540th visitor for the day, and there was still a steady stream of people wending their way along the trail to the Tower after I descended. If you’re thinking about making the climb, do it soon. After November 1st, the Tower will be closed until spring. Although I did hear something about it being open on an occasional good weather day, don’t count on that happening. Remember what our last two winters have been like, and visit the tower NOW.

See you tomorrow. I’m bringing photos from the Canopy Walk, and you’ll need to bring your jacket.

Trail Walker