The Progression of Fall

 The progression of fall.  Autumn comes late to the south plains.  Most well known fall color areas get color in late September and early October.  Here in Fort Worth it gets good around Thanksgiving.


Here it is mid December and there is still some good fall color to be seen.  Our peak was about the first week of the month and we typically will see color until around Christmas week.


As I do every year at this time I frequent our local Japanese Garden to photograph the vivid reds of the Japanese maples there.  This year was no different and I made several trips to the gardens.  


The colors were not as vivid this year and ran late.  I am sure most of that was related to the long, hot, dry summer we had here in Texas.  Trees are hardy but the almost total lack of any rain combined with something like seventy 100+ degree days over the summer had them lack that over the top red they can get.


Of course, that was not about to stop me.  I was in the garden every four or five days.  Luckily we have finally had some rain and unlike the past few years I was able to visit the gardens on several cloudy days and even once in a nice study rain.

 Here you can see the progression of color from my favorite view.  Forgive me for having them slightly out of order.


The first image is actually at the bottom here and was from before Thanksgiving.  The colors had started but it was just starting.


I was back a few days later and got the second image.  Now, we are talking color, but still not peak.


The third image of the series is actually the top one.  It was a day I was there in the rain and the colors were outstanding. Nothing like photographing fall color in the rain.

The final image is the second one and was made last Friday evening on my way home from the office, I stopped in for a few minutes.  The colors were still bright but getting to be a little past their prime.


I'll hopefully get to make it out there one more time to see the last vestige of fall color.