Now that the temperatures have moderated, I have found it the motivation to get outside and enjoy some physical activity. I’ve been riding my bicycle more, and have started walking on the days that I am not riding.
During my jaunts I have noticed a colorful side-effect from the heat and drought that we have suffered here in Colorado on many of the “wild” trees and shrubs (by wild, I mean vegetation that receives no supplemental watering) in town. Plants in the drier areas seem to be reaching their peak fall foliage splendor already, several weeks earlier than usual. I haven’t been up in the mountains to verify this, but the rumor is that many of the aspens are also already hitting their peak color, which is at least a week early.
The hot weather and lack of rainfall have so stressed these trees and shrubs that they’ve already decided to call it quits for the year.
Their more pampered cousins in parks and residential areas are still predomintly green, with only stray bits of color scattered here and there in their canopies. These trees probably won’t hit peak color for a few more weeks yet.
The city in which MrsVintage and I reside is not known for its culture, but it does have an award winning xeriscape demonstration garden by the municipal center. I swung by it on a recent bicycle ride. An oasis of tranquility right in the heart of town.
