Fall Colors in Gruene, Texas

These images were taken earlier this

month -- on Nov 18th --

on a day when I had some time

to explore a bit with my camera.

The day was overcast, with gray clouds

completely covering the blue sky.

And since it was overcast, I thought it was a

great day to show off the colors of

the leaves that remained on the trees.

I took a short walk down to the water's edge

and from here, you can see how low the

river is compared to the past water lines

that line the roots of the trees.

All the while, this long-legged feathered fowl

was keeping a watch on me...

Even though I kept my distance,

he decided to take a

short flight to the other

end of the sidewalk.

Clouds

Let me start by saying, I love clouds!

They can add a bit of drama to landscape photos

or help with diffusing the light on overcast days.

Clouds are ever-changing as they float on by...

puffy bits of fluff on clear days, 

towering and intimidating in stormy weather

and casually stretched out as feathery

wisps on windy days.

They also help in adding color to the sky...

often pale pinks & soft yellows in the mornings

or a sheer orange against a violet

blue sky as the sun sets in the evening,

to different shades of gray on moody, rainy days.

Sometimes, I think the world is moving

at such a quick pace, that we forget to take in

the simple things available, like...

watching the clouds pass by,

looking for recognizable shapes,

or as the sun settles in for the night,

seeing the colors fade into darkness.

How often do you get the chance to stop

and watch the clouds as they cross the sky?