Reasons for the Season

- Cool and clear on the mountain properties this morning. Delightful!

- The most pleasant stretch of weather I can remember in some time....all of September and October were classic autumn in Tennessee....cool, clear evenings and mild days.
- The autumn foliage is nearing peak in our part of Tennessee and the attached photographs are part of the reason.

- A brief summary of the attached (top to bottom) .........The top photo is of a young Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), the state tree of Tennessee. This species, known for the long straight contour of the trunk, often turns a brilliant golden color in autumn, and 100' specimens are not uncommon on our mountain properties. The next photo is of the Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra), one of many species that turns a burgundy color in autumn. This small, thin barked tree is often found in clusters, as in the photo. For whatever reason, whitetail bucks love to rub their antlers against the trunk of this tree. The golden color in the next photo (the tree in the middle) is the Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra), one of two hickories (Mockernut Hickory) common on the mountain properties. The hickories and the Tuliptree are responsible for the majority of the yellow to golden coloration in the deciduous forests in our part of Tennessee. The next tree is the Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum), and the burgundy color shown is typical of the autumn coloration of this common species. Next is the Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica). The specimen shown in the photo reflects a bit softer coloration than is typical ...most often the leaves of this species turn a deep burgundy color, similar to the Sourwood. The variation shown in the photo becomes particularly vivid in the afternoon or morning sun. The bottom photo is perhaps the most colorful (and unpredictable) of all...The Red Maple (Acer rubrum). The leaves of this common species are almost always colorful and most often turn red, though some turn yellow, and a few stay predominantly green with a bit of yellow tint (like the one in the background of the photo). The exact reason for this variation within a species is another of Mother Nature's well kept secrets.