When Thoughts Turn to Autumn - Things to Do


This past week has been tough, but now it's time to get on with life as best we can. Here are some things you may want to do around the state as fall sets in.

Autumn, when the air is chilled in the morning, the spiderwebs glisten in the outside dew, pumpkins grow larger, deciduous trees don brilliant red and gold leaves and the landscape begins to change, is one of my favorite seasons. This year nature has seen the season come early due to drought-plagued Washington State. Officially it's autumn on September 22, 2001. Check out this beautiful Mimosa tree in Eastern Washington showing its pretty fall colors.

There are many beautiful drives to view seasonal changes around the state. The Washington GORP site, http://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/byway/... , is a good place to find a drive that will highlight fall activity. Be sure to watch the weather if you go to the mountains. Until today it has been relatively warm, but temperatures could change overnight at higher elevations. Use the same caution if driving some of the scenic views in the Mt. Baker - Snoqualmie National Forest. The list of hikes and drives there is at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/scenicviews/... .

You may view mystifying larch trees like the one below, evergreens that uncharacteristically change to a bright gold and drop their needles in the fall. GORP offers links to fall drives that will take your breath away at http://www.gorp.com/gorp/location/wa/fal... - they say October 10 may be the best time this year to view the colors, but it could be earlier due to all the dryness in our state. Chuckanut Drive south of Bellingham is another famed fall drive. Find information on it and other drives like the Okanogan Highlands at this site.

If you're more into city activities, this weekend is the the Fremont Neighborhood Octoberfest complete with a beer garden. Visit our Beer Traveller writer, Paul Ruschmann, at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/beer... to learn about the robust festival you won't want to miss.

Fall, to me, is a time to learn. It's when I like to buckle up to a new experience. The North Cascades Institute calendar holds some fall learning experiences that will prove not only educational, but spiritual in nature. The calendar and course information is at http://www.ncascades.org/edprog/calendar... - I especially like the sound of the class: Native American Art & Landscape: A Formline View from the Snow Goose. The calendar extends into next year if you want to do some early planning.

The copyright of the article When Thoughts Turn to Autumn - Things to Do in Washington State is owned by Jerri Brooker. Permission to republish When Thoughts Turn to Autumn - Things to Do in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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