Autumn is a season of change. The daylight hours shorten, the nights become cooler, and school is back in session. Actually, for the first time since 1989, no one in my own household headed back to school this September. That in itself signifies change. But here in New England, beautiful foliage displays are the most celebrated change of all.

Several years ago, on an October drive to visit one of my daughters attending a Vermont college, I was blown away by the brilliance of color. Wave after wave of reds, oranges, and yellows bloomed before me as I drove the hills and curves of Interstate Routes 93 and 89. Ever since that drive, I’ve wanted to take a leaf-peeping adventure every year. And living just 30 minutes south of the New Hampshire border, you’d think I’d have done it every year. But no. Fall is a busy time of year and weekends are precious. Last year, my husband and I planned ahead to combine a foliage trip with an Alchemist Brewery truck sale. Guess what! It rained. Hard. Of course, we got the beer, but the sightseeing was a bust!

This year, every weekend seems to be booked. Life, as usual, has gotten busy. But I’ve been thinking. The old saying that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” could be tweaked to say: “the foliage is always redder, oranger (I know, not really a word), and yellower on the other side of the border.” It’s all about perspective. We really don’t need to climb the fence or cross the border to find the vibrancy. We just need to change our thinking and open our eyes. So, I did.

And here’s some of what I found less than a mile from home…

And also less than a mile from home is a soccer field at which I spent many an autumn as a busy, distracted soccer mom. I hardly ever stopped to appreciate the view. This year, I decided to track the changing colors. The first photo was taken on September 21st. The last one was taken this morning. Enjoy!

Sept 21

Sept 25

Oct 5

Oct 7

Oct 12

Oct 14