Where did it go? Fall comes to the Interior...

I hate to start talking about how fast time is flying by, because it's inevitable some wiseacre will say something about age.  But, it's true.  It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the arrival of spring and now the first snowflakes of winter are falling. 

We were fortunate this year to have what felt like an actual Autumn, rather than moving from summer to winter in a matter of days.  Mother Nature blessed us with a warm, dry fall that, for me at least, makes the arrival of winter seem a little less dreary. 

Since it's snowing and I'm not ready for the white stuff just yet, I thought I would post a few photo's of the fall colors in Interior Alaska.

We have a multitude of hues of yellows and golds but don't typically see a great deal of reds in our fall colors.  But, just two short hours south in Denali National Park, the color pallette comes alive with almost every color imaginable. 

We spent an afternoon hiking up this old dry creek bed taking pictures of the colors and wildlife. I love summers in the Park, but Mother Nature really puts on a show in the fall. 

Although beautiful, these mountain streams never really get above 'frigid' despite the near constant sunshine.  Yours truly discovered that what is frigid in June is downright cold as ice in September.  Note to self; watch where you step.

There is a saying that goes "when the fireweed blossoms turn to cotton, summer days will soon be forgotten." The cotton signals the end of summer. Well, the blossoms have turned to cotton, and since snow is falling, it must be so! Now, where the heck are my snowshoes?