A couple weeks ago when I was out stomping on that land in Kansas, I had to really search to find anything in color. This closeup of some sumac leaves was the best I could do.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixsgQ3x0V-2preMXldk6p4nBULxej2UG_P6lP7Vh-bCwfLqQgzEC500FXrySwQkDkw8e0ZasCnaBm0BxtXWp7P4L1WnoqfgvQTPXwKfIqZK2GAcx-4fk2YwwJ6UVvHVk_1Rt7KRzAQ6Oe0/s400/sumac+leaves.jpg)
Everything else seemed lifeless...if not charred.
The only thing with any sort of life was this dead leaf attached to a spider web remnant, endlessly oscillating in the slight breeze.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-SebqvrcW0Ie6grIen1Kt_JLV-_kHjYlUqImZXCFrqqRJygENFCR6YPWM06gnbVlQIGqPU2a00nadpVXHTggdUEWRD4L9lCDFBMvrhKpmH9im_LI22hFFIJy8iFcNvB1yLS6PjDKiK2V/s400/twirling+leaf.jpg)
I walked in the woods for a while but the slight breeze at the top of a hill turned out to be a kind of dangerous. It sounded pretty, the sound of wind blowing through the tops of the trees, but when a large tree crashed to the ground in front of me, just about twenty feet away, well, that was too much drama so I left.
But the following week when I returned, it was sunny. It was even somewhat warm. And there were bugs!
I got a good staredown from a stinkbug.
Watched a little common buckeye butterfly sun itself on the gravel.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFw-wq_GSu811OmsDcQrjVp6YY2VpM0tRqF3Q3J3VSxeIotyn0X2AtPAV_li-htEgvktlfRaRMl_MDJ8iBe894H9Kiq4XJQistiZGpBShyMt97zMOhwOsEJil_yk5JsdNqcCHrpX6CuY3a/s400/common+buckeye+butterfly.jpg)
And found the tiniest little ringneck snake under an oak leaf.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDUZkeii6VQ65B7dUupLCS9HWV1p7AKvtn5vzkNFbgWSkc2qFJ7GMMys6Q5tgNwwmGa9tbM7sbzjTdVu9gq29CFoMh50tcXbbvYYV1zhlUp11pFj8Yypf2g1jmiuHZTMKZQCdZRR5kV1AQ/s400/ringneck+tail.jpg)
But still, not too much color...although there were hints that something would be happening soon...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmw7XafHe1Xz-D7MOMMckukeFd5ZiY4UbN5pA-QIdgbhmBH5M9TZ-6ihP8szE1Rl7X-BaJkJc8lq8puaug1GWGCFeG5u3q33DUaIscl_9xNfzFzVdF7PsDdqJ0sJvmFb_p226ADfsi5mM2/s400/maple+turning+color.jpg)
Yesterday when I returned, it was a gloomy and wet day...but big changes had been made in the landscape. Look at that pretty little maple tree now.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1RHvbu42Hc_2htB-51yr2MZdl0TEasJQhOO9iZ8pgn_0IeGHePmHYGnImVRYzTMG9s6Pyy1Tp6gtkXk9kZXY2gxSvFHGPFEEe0-_nU55xM9OD0qeDcoRfRhC8hIN-Qep6dROlit6enOY/s400/maple.jpg)
The colors are finally reaching their last minute crazy weird intensity.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3lLpvNsFb4hqLNTpwBTfmNu7rsHmg0-bfcEpyeNGxUNga6fT6ICDP7r4idmpuQe8mtGnUqUp0GV0pkFlWxv7PgSMY4P8102_0OMH81Vhjl-X1cHOrR_v6uqNQhx-jYVLGoFaltGSeCR4/s400/creek.jpg)
Even the moss glows more than it really has to.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOrcqS5MCRnfVkJdAkbZYygyGU4CJnh7tWJ3MnD3XkWKfJnUdYse8SjLac0BnBybI8R71Ny1Dvm3Lz1XNvQxyVttA2DaOYWgbPXJJLBeHGvzC7h8ewJe0yyvJP9mk09H9FZOCsKrJuEp6/s400/mossy+rock.jpg)
The colors get brighter, brighter, brighter...
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNH5myc3JsYHKN7bQgl2REyQVY48zH0UfjzNMxFHVyyizFkCc3la7e29fQLNLaDzhQr7dqYbratAu_o0n42ObJ0s_izQUYEH7t9OibqmDWdXiIkFEda2E8uSagqI57Ntx6sse-fWrGJdN6/s400/oenothera+biennis.jpg)
...and then it's all over. It's like a good fireworks finale, watching all the colors go all crazy at this time of year and I don't want to miss seeing any one of them before they all go out.