Fall Leaves

One of our favorite fall family trips is to go for a drive and hike to enjoy the fall colors. We went yesterday and had a great time. We kept driving too far north though and came back down south to enjoy the vibrant colors (they were actually better south which did not make much sense to me).

If you live in Minnesota, go to Banning State Park now. It is definitely in peak and absolutely gorgeous! Yellow, gold, orange, reds - it was amazing. We enjoyed a long drive (I finished knitting a sweater for Sirah) and the many colors along the rode. We went up to Lake Superior and back.

We stopped at Moose Lake, caught frogs and collected colorful leaves. We did leaf rubbings, everyone got their own page and took a short hike. Serona gave us an impromptu science lesson on why leaves change color and more about chlorophyll then I ever knew. We ate snacks we had packed and listened to "On the Banks of Plum Creek" and the "Sword of Shannara" on audiotape.

We ended the day at Banning and the colors were just so indescribably beautiful. We drove slowly through the whole park and then got out and walked around and collected leaves for pressing. They have just started to fall and we were able to collect many of the nice soft, freshly fallen colorful leaves.

If the leaves are changing where you are, get out and enjoy them. Take a hike, do leaf rubbings and collect leaves for pressing. You can even make it into a science lesson about why some trees change and others don't and what makes the leaves change color. Besides it is just fun!

Being from the North East - I adore fall, it is my favorite season. The colors are just so warming and welcoming and vibrant. While our fall is shorter here in Minnesota I try to enjoy each moment of it. We drive far so we can see vibrant colors as ours in the Twin Cities are often more muted.

Peace,
Tenn