Last Thursday was an atypical day in Vermont, with 70 degrees out and a clear sky, what better thing to do other than going out for a walk and visiting my phenology spot.
In Uruguay, autumn doesn’t stand out, leaves fall quickly, leaving behind thin, somber trees, and the windy, cold weather feels much like winter. But here it’s a whole other spectacle. As I reached my spot and walked down the trail, I was mesmerized by the gradient of colors from vibrant yellows to rich reds. The sight was so calming, with leaves gently drifting down carpeting the ground, predominantly from northern red oaks. I could still find some green spots near the ground and higher up. The buckthrons, white sweetclover and other small plants held onto their green leaves. And now that I had a clearer view – as many trees were now bare – I discovered some big Eastern White Pines in the area. As conifers, they stood out with their fine, feathery green needles contrasting against the backdrop of red and orange.
I spotted and heard some birds and squirrels too! – I couldn’t take a photo of them though, they moved too quickly.
