L'automne est un deuxième printemps où chaque feuille est une fleur.

People talk a lot about the beautiful autumn leaves in New England.  They have a point.

Above: Mount Monadnock, NH                                   Below: Provincetown, MA

Now that we've spent our first fall back home in the Northwest again, I have to say that I have been pleasantly surprised.  In the suburbs, where we grew up, the maple trees were huge and old and native.  Their leaves were very brown and dull.  I still enjoyed raking them and playing in them, but they weren't at all impressive.

Now that we live in the city, it’s a different world of intentionally planted trees.  Clearly they are planted partly because of their stunning colors.  Jack informed me that the city even has a handy list of approved trees.
I think this has been one of the prettiest falls I remember, partly because I didn't expect any colorful trees.   Here are a few pictures from Seattle and Portland.

The difference between the leaves in the Northwest (cities) and the North East is not quality, but quantity.  Seeing a whole forest of vibrant trees is what’s special about a New England fall, so make sure to go for a hike there, if you get the chance.