I have often been mesmerized by the awesome display of colors in the sky and blazing in the forests.
The first time I saw the canopy of brilliant autumn colors that was setting the forest aglow, I was thoroughly enchanted. Never had I seen such a magnificent sight. Oh, I had beheld the wonders of a single tree painted in rambunctious color, bright and glorious in its fall regalia; or, perhaps, a stand of a few trees sporting their festive hues. But, to be in a forest of trees, simply surrounded and engulfed in a sea of varying hues all at one time, was overwhelming.
As the sun's rays touched the scene, they illuminated the spectacle and highlighted certain sections with a dazzling intensity. The slightest breeze rippled the trees, while individual leaves and trees shimmered and danced with the gentle winds. At times, one particularly bright spike of sunlight would choose one tree to illuminate; and that tree would be featured for a glorious moment of individual recognition.
There is something about the mountains and the air patterns they create that causes breathtaking displays of varying colors. At time, these colors lay on top of the bosom of the distant mountains in an arresting profusion of various shades. Sometimes, when conditions are just right, these layers of color are astounding and provide a scene that those folks who are new to mountain living have never witnessed before: different hues of multi-colors that paint the horizon with awe-inspiring shades that come in soft layers of color and recede into a hazy mist as they touch the perimeter of the horizon.
Sometimes, when the setting sun is just right, brilliant shafts of flaming red light up the forest in the winter-time; and it almost seems like the woods are on fire with an intense dark red glow. The bare dark trunks of the trees stand strong and tall in contrast to the fiery red that bathes the entire scene.
To behold these phenomena is a privilege, as you realize that nature provides us with spectacular sights that no man can ever duplicate. To those of us who are unabashed tree huggers, we stand in awe as we experience the wonder of it all. We realize that the natural world around us has produced a timeless treasure that we humans should work mightily to protect for the enjoyment of generations to come, as well as to save the world's environment.
