Fall

The fall colors on a hike in RMNP yesterday.

Fitz and I spent the late afternoon outside.  I raked up some pine needles that were collecting near the house.  As I was raking I remembered raking up leaves in Minnesota when I was a child.  We would create huge crunchy piles from what had fallen off the maple tree and jump in them.  This would take up what seemed like whole weekends.  I looked at my pile of pine needles and it looked quite terrible and painful to jump in.  Some day we'll have to be somewhere for fall where the leaves accumulate and make for perfect jumping piles for Fitz.

Estes may not have big piles of leaves, but it does have the mountains.  Today they were dusted white from fresh snow fall.  When those cold winds start moving in and the clouds settle over the mountains that's usually our sign to start packing and head west.  Late next week we'll make our annual pilgrimage to Yosemite for another go at the Dawn Wall for Tommy, and for Fitz and I to enjoy all the perfection that the Valley is in the fall.  I've been craving van life.

As I sat sipping my malbec, listening to Nick Drake, wiping the butternut squash soup off of Fitz's face I was reminded why I love fall so much.        

Fitz's masterful fall creation.