Fall Walk

The middle part of my morning walk is up this little incline at the end of our street and back again.  It is the part of the street which doesn't have houses on either side--in its natural state.  Signs of the fall colors are just beginning here.  A branch of red across the road.....

leaves which have fallen in to the dry creek bed on the edge of the road.

There are new fall wildflowers.  I didn't think I have seen so many wildflowers in the fall.  I thought that was more a spring and early summer thing.

Looks a bit like something Dr. Suess would draw.....you can find these in mass along the country roads and highways along with at least three other types of yellow flowers.

Looking into the forest, things are still green despite the leaves on the ground...

..tiny bits of yellow on this tree...

...and red on that one...

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This vine is turning a dark red as it winds itself around the dark green pine tree.

There are signs of fall, but it appears that it will come in bits and pieces over the next month rather than in one big show.  We had a lot of hot days in September and "they say" that can lead to a less dramatic fall with more brown leaves rather than orange, yellow, and red.

It is still beautiful. 

We are loving the pictures that our friends are posting on the Utah fall which has been amazing!  After a good water year, the trees are blazing in color up and down the mountains and canyons.  The traffic jams don't look fun however.  We are often the only ones traveling on our space of the byways of Arkansas....or walking on one.

The world is a beautiful place.  Unfortunately, the people in it (meaning the governments and wicked groups--not individuals) do great damage.  This past week, the Hamas have attached Israel and now they are having a declared war there.  So many people have and will die in this conflict.  War is terrible and it seems unlikely that any good will come from this new conflict or of any of the conflicts around the world.

The contrasts remind us how great the peace of the gospel and how wonderful it will be when the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, returns and will rule in peace and harmony for a 1000 years.  Let that be soon so there can be peace on earth.