Fall

For a large part of the Northern Hemisphere, fall is officially here. The falling leaves are turning brilliant shades of red, orange, brown, gold and yellow, farmers’ markets are beginning to sell seasonal pumpkins and gourds, coffee shops are selling spiced coffee, and there’s a nip in the air.

To celebrate this wonderful and colorful season, we’ve got a beautiful collection of photos of autumn landscapes that highlight the last explosion of rich, vivid color before the coming winter. Whether you’re sitting at your computer with warm socks and some coffee or sitting outside with your laptop enjoying the weather, these fall pictures will help give you a double dose of this beautiful season.

The browning of leaves, perhaps the most noticeable sign of fall, occurs when the air starts to cool and daylight hours start to shorten. During the summer, chlorophyll pigments help absorb energy from the sun and keep leaves green. All the other colors we see in the fall are always present in leaves (even in the summer), but it is only when the leaves’ green pigments break down that they are revealed. The leaves are shed to help the trees survive the winter – shedding them reduces trees’ water needs and reduces their susceptibility to the winter’s harsh conditions.

Other signs of fall, like pumpkin and gourd dishes are soups, are due to these foods’ harvest times. In any case, the swirl of colors and smells come together to make fall a magical season. Whether you’re enjoying a warm cup of coffee or tea, jumping in the biggest pile of leaves you can find, or making pumpkin pie, enjoy the season!