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Into the Outdoors: We're Well Know for Our Area's Fall Foliage


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Over the years, our area has become well known for its brilliant fall foliage. Already, the first signs of color are showing up. It might be fun to look at some of the causes of this extravaganza, and some of the trees which play a part in it. At the heart of the color changes are fall’s cooler temperatures and shorter periods of daylight. These cause the buildup of cells at the base of the leaf stem, which block the flow of nutrients between the leaf and the tree. Chlorophyll, which make the leaves green, is no longer produced. As the green fades, two chemicals, carotin and xanthophyll, which cause leaves to turn yellow, are unmasked. Red leaves, which are the most impressive to look at, occur only when the leaves contain certain sugars or tannins. The red color further depends a lot on sunny days and cold nights, which cause the blocking cells to form before these substances can drain away. In some years, early frosts kill the foliage. Also, a warm cloudy autumn can produce colors. Actually fall color can vary a lot from year to year in any one region.

Now, let’s look at some of the players in this panorama of nature. Among the first to change are the red maple, whose leaves, obviously, turn bright red, and the downy serviceberry. In fact, some have already turned bright red along the Allegheny River. After that, we see the bright yellow leaves of the tulip tree and the eastern Redbud. Also, the sugar maple’s leaves turn gold about the third week of fall. This is one of our best known trees. Depending on location, these trees can also turn bright red. The oak and ash trees wrap up the show each year. In this area, the most common ash is the white ash.

Sometimes, when you live in an area, you have a tendency to take its beauty for granted. The fact is that many people travel long distances to enjoy the leaves along the Allegheny.

Other signs of fall are appearing, too. Flocks of migrating wild geese are starting to appear, and some familiar songbirds have vanished. The night sounds have changed, too, and, for that matter, some of the nights are now downright chilly. Before long, the furnaces will be coming on.

September, however, is not all bad. In fact, the fishing really heats up, especially for panfish. I base this on years of experience at some of my favorite spots. This is a great time to grab a container of worms and a bucket of “minnies,” and head for your favorite pond. Those filets will be very tasty in the dead of winter. I love them on the day before Thanksgiving. I can’t explain it, but it has been a tradition at my table for years.

September also has some good implications for hunters. Squirrel hunting has always been my favorite form of the sport, and the fact that you can now do it in September makes it even better. Granted, it is indeed harder to see the bushytails because of the leaves. Most of your shots will be on the ground, but it’s still a lot of fun. It is a great time to use a 22 rimfire. You have to place your shots to minimize meat damage. This year, I plan to test out a recipe for pressure canning the critters. It might be good, or it might be a disaster. Only time will tell.

It never fails to impress me when the birds disappear. For example, the yard will be full of robins one day, and completely devoid of them the next. I know that some robins stay the winter, but the backyard ones disappear so suddenly. Also, the goldfinches, which stay all year, are turning brown, to the point where they are starting to look like sparrows. The hummingbirds have disappeared as well.

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