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Tuesday, September 8, 2009

An Arizona Autumn

In mid-September the National Forest Service here in Arizona begins their daily Fall Colors report. In the low desert we will see very little, if any, leaf change..... but in the high country it is an entirely different story. The colors across the peaks are absolutely breathtaking and since the season is very short, it has always paid to keep track of when the trees are at their most colorful. It's a lovely drive just a couple of hours north of Phoenix ......a drive we always look forward to this time of year.

The landscape begins to change as we leave the desert floor and head north on I-17 towards Flagstaff.

Oak Creek just outside of Sedona, the beautiful red rock country.

Arizona maples on Rim Road near the Mogollon Rim........

Gorgeous show of foliage in Oak Creek Canyon
A grove of Aspens near Christopher Creek
Autumn in the White Mountains .....
Country road near Flagstaff.....

"Ditch Camp" in the White Mountains .......

Bassett Peak .......

Slide Rock in Oak Creek Canyon..............

So before very long we'll be stealing away for a day (or maybe two ) to enjoy the lovely sights of the season........what's it like in your part of the country? Do you have colorful leaves falling right outside your window, or do you enjoy driving to the mountains to see the sights? What special little things are you doing to enjoy this incredible Autumn season?
Today I'm linked to these two great sites.
Just click on the photos to see more lovely outdoor shots.

36 comments:

greensboro daily photo said...

Hey Elaine, we're Watery Wednesday neighbors! You've got some great fall pictures already and it hasn't even arrived yet!

Stayathomemommy said...

Thankyou for reminding me of how beautiful Arizona can be! I get so caught up in the heat I forget that we get cooler weather!

From the Old InkWell said...

Beautiful fall photos! Don't you just love this time of year?!

Anna said...

Wow! Arizona is gorgeous in the fall!

Linnea said...

Those are beautiful scenes you've captured there. I didn't realize Arizona could produce such spectacular autumn foliage...amazing...much more colorful than what we see around here in the San Fran Bay Area...and autumn is my favorite season!

Unknown said...

We don't get lot of fall color where I live either but I do love to drive up into the mountains to see the foliage. Beautiful shots!

floreta said...

beautiful! and this is why fall is my favorite season.

Scrabblequeen said...

There isn't much happening here in the still-hot valley, but I'm sure if we head up into the foothills things are starting to change. I love Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona and Flagstaff and....Someday I will get there in the fall.
I remember Slide Rock long before there was a parking lot for all the people....fun stuff.

Pat@Back Porch Musings said...

Beautiful autumn images! As we were driving down to the lake, yesterday, we saw several maples, sumac and dogwood changing color, already, here in mid Missouri!

I love Fall! Happy ODW!

Gemma Wiseman said...

This is such a bounty of autumn glows! Like a drama of colours! Wonderful sight!

Coffeedoff said...

Such wonderful colours. Great capture!

Mary Bergfeld said...

I love your photos. We still have a few more weeks of summer here. The nights are getting cold but we've had no leaf drop yet. I hope you are having a wonderful day.

annies home said...

beautiful fall colors not hard to understand why my mother loves fall and the fall colors

YayaOrchid said...

Your pictures are breathtaking! Love those reds in the maples. I didn't know Arizona had that type of terrain. I just assumed it was all hot and desert(y). Very beautiful. I wonder though, are the temps mild in the Summer in that beautiful area? Or is it just as hot and unbearable.? I don't like heat, can you tell, LOL!

Elaine, did you have a makeover? In your new picture you look so thin and chic! Very nice, although the other picture was also very nice.

Ginny said...

Wow! These pics are gorgeous. I bet you can't wait to get up there. We have some pretty fall displays here where I live, but we still like to drive up in the mountains every year to see the really gorgeous stuff! One of these days we want to go up into New England. That just seems like the ultimate. But like I said, Wow! These Arizona sights are pretty darn gorgeous too!
Hope you had a great Labor Day! Did you have your ham n cola? tee hee! We went to friends house for bbq so I didn't get to try that. One of these days I'm going to though. Have a great week.
Ginny

Joan@anthinggoeshere said...

What wonderful Autumn Photos. Arizona is sure beautiful in the fall.

Diers Eve said...

Those pictures are breathtaking!!!

Thanks for sharing. Have a great day,
Val

Kathy said...

Thanks for showing us that Arizona is so beautiful in the fall. We leave Minnesota in the cold months and love to spend time in the Arizona warmth. Hope someday to see the colors that you shared.

Jane said...

Hi Elaine!
Your photographs are gorgeous! The red rocks and leaves are spectacular.

The colors of fall are my favorite! I never truly saw the changes until my college years in GA. Our FL fall is a very short...and LATE season. Last year our maple tree was brilliantly red in time for Christmas! We travel to Alabama each fall to see the changes...and of course, for football. At least we have the beach all year long.

Jane (Artfully Graced)

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hello Elaine...

Just read your sweet note that you left on my new Autumn dishes...so happy to have you stop by for a visit and thank you so much for your sweet comments! I also wanted to take this time to thank you for becoming a follower of Happy To Design...so sweet!!! Since this is my first visit to your blog...I spent some time going down through some of your posts...you have a delightful blog, my friend! I also added your blog to my follow list! I look forward to your upcoming posts and getting to know you better....so very nice to meet you, my friend!!!

Wow!!! I just loved your Arizona autumn photos...the scenery all decked out in its autumn finery is truly magnificent!!! I didn't realize that Arizona had such autumn beauty!!! What a blessing! I lived in south Texas for nearly 30 yrs...there really wasn't any seasonal changes there but ohhh my, here in Colorado...autumn is fabulous!!! It's really my favorite season of the year...love the deep, rich colors!!! Thank you so much for sharing a bit of your countryside with us...such a treat!!!

Have a wonderful day, my friend!
Warmest wishes,
Chari

Tammie Lee said...

Gorgeous photos and colors! You are ahead of us here in NW Montana. The colors are just beginning to change, subtly at first. But nature has her way and one never knows when the heat of color will be. Thank you for sharing these.
Spirithelpers

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pictures, looks like fall is in the air. Our trees are still green here in Pennsylvania but should be turning soon, usually after the first frost.

Brenda Pruitt said...

These photos are beyond beautiful! The reds of the tree leaves. The oranges and yellows. The horizons. All taken with such a discerning eye! I am impressed!
Brenda

Kay said...

Fall is my favorite season so I love any autumn themed photos.

Kay

Arija said...

Elaine, these are magnificent photos. Autumn is my favourite time of year and for the most impessionable part of my life my birthday was in this magical season. Now we live in Australia where blossom trees and tulips are the order of the day, though very beautiful of course, by natal body clock is longing for the wonders of fall. So I thank you particularly for this wonderful reminder of what it is that makes me restless and vaguely dissatisfied although I have everything else I could wish for.

Candy said...

My BIL moved here (Texas) from AZ last year. Boy, now I see what he got to see every season. I'm sure there are wonders around here, so I am off to find them. Also, finally, got to visit your Rooster party. Cute one with the measuring spoons tail.
Thanks for stopping by my dreamy swings ;-)

Amy said...

Elaine...such beautiful pictures! I thought our fall color show here in Michigan was second to none, but now I wonder. Perhaps I need to get out and travel more ;)

Hope you enjoy your day!

Love,
Amy

Unknown said...

Hi, Such wonderful photos i love all the colour, I have never visited Arizona but want to now! Have a sweet day! x

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hey Elaine, Gorgeous pictures!!!! We have just a tad of color here so far--mostly the dogwoods. BUT--hopefully, we will have the same colors like you show today SOON. We usually peak about mid-October. I cannot wait.

Thanks for the absolutely gorgeous pictures.
Hugs,
Betsy

Puna said...

This is beautiful!

The Prudent Homemaker said...

Wow! The high desert is certainly different than the low desert.

Even the low desert in Arizona gets more rain than we do here--7 times as much!

I hear it's challenging growing things in the high desert.

I've never seen the desert look pretty before. I love the fall colors.

I'm in Las Vegas. We don't have many trees here!

In Flag... said...

I am definitely blessed to live in Flagstaff! Thank you for posting these beautiful pictures so the rest of the world can enjoy what we get to see daily! :-) Flagstaff is the place to be - "The land of four seasons", and you can see why: we have beautiful (mild) summers, gorgeous autumns, snowy winters (who knew it snows in AZ?) and blooming springs. And there is ALWAYS something to do!! (And when we get tired of the snow, we can always go down to the valley for a summer day.)

RoeH said...

Hope you don't mind if I link your blog to my post today. I'm telling about autumn in Arizona and your photos are just beautiful. I live in Mesa and I've always wanted to go up to Oak Creek in the fall and take some pics. Beautiful post.

diane b said...

I came over from RH -Lucy and she was right , your photos are terrific and the colours absolutely stunning.
We are having Spring now, the days are heating up we hit 30*C yesterday. We don't get Autumn colours in Brisbane.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Gorgeous photos! I never realized that Northern Arizona had so much beautiful autumn color. It looks like New England.

Susanfallwildwoods said...

Great pictures! I see we share a common interest...beautiful Arizona in the fall! susanfallwildwoods.blogspot.com