• Thursday-What'sUP October 7 - 12:04 am

If Tina Hyrkas was playing poker with this handful of leaves, I bet she'd have a full house! Nice colorful array, from the deep purple and rich reds, to the still dark green too. The fading ferns in the second shot, pretty much complete the spectrum of colors that nature takes on during an Upper Peninsula fall. The seasons change, our surroundings transform as the months march on, keeping us totally enthralled with the beauty!

Again we want to thank all who participated in the quilt raffle by Sandstone Piece Makers, which was a benefit fund raiser for Still Waters Community Elders Home in Calumet. The winner was Dennis Bastian, and there's a picture floating around the Internet with Mrs. Bastian (left) receiving the beautiful prize from the group's leader, Karen Secor. Just a little more Keweenaw color :o)

Nice shots the last couple of days. I'll be there on Friday-can't wait! Looks like it will be close to peak. Was just perfect last year. Will it be two great ones in a row?

I am glad to see a purple leaf in the above picture. I found one on my lawn today and thought it was very odd. Maybe not?

Good Morning - or should I say good night to John and Roger

Love those leaf colors. Great picture.

Im not sure if it is true,but what I was told was that all leaves are their fall colors when they first appear on the tree. It is all the chlorophyll in them that covers up their colors,so when the tree stops making chlorophyll in the fall and the chlorophyll leaves the leaf all that remains is the color that we associate with the fall.

Wow, what a wonderful collection of different colored leaves. Reminds me of when I was little and we would collect the fall leaves, and then press them between sheets of wax paper.

Sur5er, me to. I still have leaves that were pressed in waxed paper. After the rain and winds we had, I hope there is still some nice colors for my weekend ride coming up.

Northern Red Oak mostly.

Wow, what a wonderful array of colors. I sure do miss fall in the U.P. We don't have anywhere near the colors you guys get here in Eagle River, Alaska.

Sharon, on the west coast we have a 3 hour time warp-so we sort of cheat, oh well.

Connie8792,
That is so neat that you live in Alaska :-). That is one place that I would love to visit...or live (besides the UP). I am fasinated by the Alaska wilderness...and of course all that snow ;)

Cindylee, We're showing our age...tee hee.

Never too old to press leaves in wax paper. Wish I had a purple leaf though. Love the pics. Good day to all.

I later realized that my purple leaf had come off of a lilac bush. Sorta fitting I suppose. There was only one lilac bush in a row of 10 that had purple leaves already. The rest are still green.

Roger - sounds like you'll be here when color is peak. This years color is much more brilliant than last year. Alot of poplars are still green, but they're starting to turn. Drove to Copper Harbor today, did Brockway Mountain - what a color show! Beautiful!

John & Anne of Kentucky:

That is indeed true! All leaves start out with the pigments that we associate with their fall color. The chlorophyll used to aid in photosynthesis throughout the growing season is a much brighter, more vibrant color, so it covers those other pigments up. When the tree slows down and halts photosynthesis for the season, the chlorophyll fades, and allows those other pigments to show their own colors.

Purple leaves are not too uncommon - white ash will often go purple in the fall, as will some oaks (including northern red, as seen above).

Now me, I'm not getting that nice rainbow effect in the leaves here - mostly just sickly yellows, and no red. :( The tallgrass prairies should start to turn soon though, and those eventually look like a carpet of fire. I guess it's not all bad!

I like that Deck of leaves pic.