Signs of Fall

Our theme this week, given us by Lew, is signs of fall. I think that Lew probably has a great many good fall leaves to show in his neck of the woods.

There is a reason that MY neck of the woods is known as the Evergreen State. But we DO have some colorful leaves as well. There are a few in my yard--my birch trees are turning. I could find a great display at the Yakima Arboretum. But our weekend took us over the mountains to Tacoma for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Light the Night Walk, so I have a few out of the box signs of fall.

You are probably wondering about the strange scene that I chose for the header--definitely out of the box--and I will get to that. But first, the Walk. You see, for us a new sign of fall has become the trip to Tacoma to participate in this walk. We will do it every year for as long as we are able..

 Ranney got to be in the survivors' group photo. His cancer is still with him, but treatment is keeping it suppressed so that he can continue to enjoy life. There he is with the red hat in the back.

We raised our red lanterns in support of blood cancer patients.

The white lanterns are survivors. The yellow are in memory of those lost. There must have been at least a thousand participants in the walk. Do you see Mount Rainier peeking out of the clouds? What a great setting for the walk.

 

We did see some colorful fall leaves along the route.

Event parking was at a high school parking structure, and another sign of fall was taking place in the field  below.

On our way home on Sunday we took the route through Mt. Rainier National Park for a quick hike to Grove of the Patriarchs. That is always good for some fall color. The mushrooms in the previous post were also on this hike. 

 And more gold and red at Box Canyon.

 

 

We went on home by way of White Pass. Now, I did mention the Evergreen State, and there across the valley are prime examples. But wait, you may say. Why are some of those needle bearing trees so yellow.

It is a myth that evergreen trees do not lose their needles. They just don't turn yellow and drop all at once like deciduous trees do with their leaves. EXCEPT for the tamarack. Tamaracks needles turn yellow in the fall and lose the needles.

 

So that brings us to the image used for the header.

What does that have to do with fall?

 

That is Rimrock Lake in the fall (on Sunday to be exact.) It is one of several reservoirs in the Cascades  that fill from the snowmelt each spring, and are drained into the irrigation systems of Easter Washington by summer's end. I hiked to the middle of the lake to an island once.

In the spring it looks like this.

 

So there are my out of the box signs of fall, well, and a few very traditional ones.

 

The other headbangers will have some amazing signs of fall in their blogs, found from the links in my sidebar.