the beginning of individuality

its mid-august, and we are still in the nasty dawg-breath days of summer down here in the valley, but up in the gorgous mountains that surround us on all sides here in the high desert of utah...the nights are getting chilly, and the trees are finally starting to evolve into individuals.

my favorite time of year has always been the one thats just out of my reach, the one thats not quite here yet. in winter, its spring; fresh warm air through newly opened windows, the budding of leaves, the promise of colorful flowers to decorate our earth, the warm spring sun on my winter chilled skin...in spring, its summer: the lazy afternoons spent sitting in the shade, sipping lemonade and reading a book, the parades, barbeques and picnics, and summer vacations. by the end of summer, i look forward to autumn's cold refreshing wind, the smell of wood smoke and apple cinamon tarts baking in the oven, and the changing of the colors, when the thousands of trees become one next to another next to another, instead of a solitary mass of green! one dark green evergreen next to a light green maple, next to a silver green aspen...and then yellow, orange and red! each tree a mighty statement of individuality and yet part of a bigger force. the forrest. is there anything on this planet more amazing or more beautiful?

here are some pictures i took of our outing yesterday in the beautiful big cottonwood canyon, where the change is beginning to happen!!