• Wednesday-What'sUP September 21 - 04:47 am

Driving around the U.P. this time of year is a veritable feast of colors, ranging from muted colors to quite vivid hues, like today's shot from Aimee Rathbun. Most people wonder when the peak color season will be, so they can be sure to plan a trip to see the color of the leaves changing at their finest. This year that exact time might be harder to predict, since in recent travels I've encountered very little change from the summer greens, all the way to the extreme of whole sections with plots of brightly festooned trees. No matter when you choose to check out the colors for yourself, you're bound to find some along the way, like the stroke of red and yellow here today.

Thanks for the pretty picture - Autumn is my favorite time of the year

I love autumn if only winter didn't follow!

Morning. Great picture. I love fall, too. It's finally cool enough.

I'm with Deb. Fall is the best time of year but boy, we do pay for it. We try to find a lot of fun things to do all winter but it does get long come the beginning of March.

Oh well, that is the price we must pay to live in the Copper Country. I wouldn't trade it for anything, especially tornados, hurricanes, killer snakes or earthquakes. After all of those, snow isn't so bad.

We talk about that a lot when we think about moving south. It's cold here in the winter, not a lot of snow really, but when you compare it with tornadoes hurricanes, earthquakes, killer snakes and might I add spiders, it ain't so bad being up north. STILL, I do wish we could go from autumn to spring and back to summer.

Deb - you forgot about ticks, chiggers, itch mites, and all the other bugs that bite and annoy.

The ticks have been awful down here this year - lots of the old-timers are saying it's the worst they've ever seen. We never really got a long stretch of killing cold last "winter," so they just kept breeding.

Found my first tick this year on March 1, and they've been thick ever since. I'd have rather had a foot of snow in July!

Mel, Ticks have migrated to our Upper Peninsula.We have them in Ontonagon & Marquette Counties. I'm not sure of other counties up this way.I have them right here in my yard. I've found a couple of ticks on myself. I hate them!!! But I'll go along with everyone else I love the fall & wouldn't want to really live anywhere else. Tho I would like to just close up the house for a couple of months during our long winters. Guess I'll have to learn to live with those darn ticks.

Ticks: eat garlic (helps on our ticks) and, more importantly, get your shots if you're in a high-risk area!!

I agree, a little fresh crushed garlic with a little bit of butter in a hot fry pan. 30 sec. later you have a great snack. I love it when they "pop" and "crunch" at the same time. Best of all they don't get stuck in between your teeth like poppy seeds.

"I love it when they "pop" and "crunch" at the same time. Best of all they don't get stuck in between your teeth like poppy seeds."

Ooooh, yummy - ticks sautéed in garlic and butter!
(Sounds like a new episode of the Amazing Race!)

I agree with many of the sentiments expressed today, and am always trying to convince other people that winter isn't so bad! I am biased as I happen to enjoy winter, but I still can't see how people view it as such a horrible thing, especially when compared to the aforementioned hurricanes, killer snakes, bugs, etc (I use many of these same examples). Another positive that I take out of winter - it represents a few months break from yardwork.

How is the leaf color change going in the U.P.? My vacation starts on September 30th and ends on October 7th. We'll be in the Sylvania Wilderness area, the Trap Falls and Norwich Bluffs area before hiking into the Porkies for 4 nights in cabins. It sounds like the color is changing fast. What are the leaves like in your area right now?

4WDGreg (4wdgreg) The colors are just starting to come out really pretty here in Ontonagon. So your trip will be well worth it. Have yourself a great trip.

If only my wife wasn't so dead set on moving south when we leave Connecticut. I'm a winter person and she's a summer person. Opposites attract!
She does enjoy our trips to the UP during the summer but she has been known to wear sweat shirts in August in the Keweenaw.

Steve W -- I thought you do have yard work in winter --- It's just a different kind --- Snow Removal!

We live in the lower peninsula, but my youngest son, 14, loves the snow, as he can earn some money clearing people's driveways, sidewalks, etc. :-)

Pretty Autumn scenery.