Autumn 2013...Another Bust

In the autumn post from 2011, I vowed to be more prepared and serious about shooting the splendor of the next fall’s colors in a special place. A year went by and other travel, some medical surprises and Hurricane Sandy scratched 2012. This year, I had in mind getting up to Rickett’s Glen State Park in Pennsylvania where there are over twenty named waterfalls. Autumn’s colorful trees frame the cascades and add colorful leaves to the surface of the quieter waters.

Weather affects how much color we see in the fall. The wrong amount of rainfall or temperature will produce what we have in our part of Maryland this year...sporadic color or too many trees doing what I call ‘brown and down’, where the leaves just dry up and fall off. I called Rickett’s Glen and they confirmed it was ‘iffy’ there and past peak in places as well. So, we put off the trip another year and I have substituted some digital favorites from the Archives. True to my nature, most are from my forays to visit dead people.

On Post-Retirement Road Trip III, I drove a circuitous route to Wisconsin so I could visit five presidents’ graves. The old, worn Appalachian Mountains of western Maryland can look magnificent in the fall.

Autumn in Western Maryland (20 October 2006)

On the last stop of Road Trip VI, the New England State House Scramble, I was heading back toward home through Albany, New York. I re-visited the Albany Rural Cemetery to get digital images of Chester A. Arthur’s grave. The 167-year old cemetery with old trees and big stone gravestones looked good in its early autumn colors.

Albany Rural Cemetery, Albany NY (12 October 2009)

Road Trip III’s drive through the Midwest included a stop in Indianapolis. I thought about visiting the state house before going to the cemetery where Benjamin Harrison rests. However it was a Sunday and the Colts were playing at home. The downtown area was already crowded with fans. Parking anywhere close to the capitol, given its proximity to the football stadium, was out of the question.

So, on to Crown Hill Cemetery I went. If I ever get the bug to document the graves of our vice presidents, this place has given me a head start since three guys I never heard of are planted here...along with John Dillinger, the famous bank robber and depression era outlaw. I believe the grand display of the living trees juxtaposes nicely with the dead all around.

Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, IN (22 October 2006)

It was a gloomy day when I visited ‘Cool Cal’ Coolidge the second time. The autumn New England state house trip came at a time when driving between the sights was as much fun as the destinations. There was color everywhere. Outside the tiny town of Plymouth, Vermont [2010 population – 619], is the Coolidge farm and the town cemetery. In addition to the president’s family, I found the headstone of the “Longest surviving Revolutionary War widow” who died in 1906. For the history and math-challenged, that war ended in 1783, 123 years before she died. Details on how this record was achieved will be provided when we visit the 30th president’s grave in January.

Anyway, many photographers prefer gloomy days when autumn trees are the subject. Bright sun casts shadows and the colors are more vibrant on cloudy days. On a deserted road, away from the president’s grave, was one of my favorite views. There are no great trees in the shot but the wall and old headstones make for an autumn scene that is authenticated by the quiet, leaf-covered road.

Plymouth Cemetery, Plymouth, VT (7 October 2009)

I recognize that this blog has clearly documented that some of my promises are not worth spit. But I really mean it this time. NEXT year, I WILL get up to Rickett’s Glen State Park and I WILL take quality pictures of the wonderful autumn on display.

Unless something comes up...