This week I spent 15 minutes sitting quietly in Redstone Quarry and observing how the landscape and vegetation have changed since my last visit. The small marsh that was previously covered by thick vegetation under the bridge was starting to become more visible as the vegetation dropped its leaves. Additionally, the water levels in the marshy area have risen moderately in the past few weeks. The previously lush foliage has mostly fallen, with a few deciduous trees still hanging on to yellow and orange leaves. Noticeably, Buckthorn and Barberry leaves were still attached and had turned from a darker green to bright red, Barberry shrubs had also lost most of their berries. The Golden Rod had also turned a whitish gray and Staghorn Sumac was missing most of its leaves but still carried the characteristic cones. While the mosses covering the rock were still bright green, the grasses had begun to turn yellow and brown. As I was leaving the site, flocks of Canadian geese flew overhead in the South East direction.
The weather this day was pretty clear, and not too hot or cold. The bike ride down to the spot was very pleasant and the crunching leaves under my tires reminded me of why I love autumn. While I am thoroughly enjoying our warmer weather, I am excited to see what the quarry will look like covered in snow and ice.
