kodachrome

the fall colors have reached their peak here in southern chester county. this morning's frosty start warranted letting the car warm up before leaving for work. as i pulled out onto the main road i passed a red maple shirking its lighter-colored orange leaves in the breeze. it was like a snowstorm in vivid hues. along 842, down the hill toward the brandywine, there is a tunnel formed by the trees, and it is golden and spectacular. the leaves fall down, briskly in the wind, land on the road, and are once again kicked up by the cars that drive over them. up allerton, there were oranges, yellows, and greens covering the road as if someone had spilled cans of paint. i watched the rearview mirror anxiously as i drove past, watching the leaves fly up and around and catch the wind before drifting back down.

you know that feeling, in the summer, when you head for a swim in a mountain stream or cold lake, and you count, onetwothree, and jump in, and that first splash of cold water takes your breath away as you come to the surface and feel the sunshine again warm on your back? life is so tangible and vivid at that exact moment.

that's how all those leaves made me feel this morning. suddenly alive and surrounded by all things beautiful.