The Colors of Autumn

The trees have outdone themselves this year in showing off their fall colors.  I first noticed the pecan trees on the east end of our farm turning to yellow at the end of October.  See below.

Then I began to notice the sumac along the roadsides turning red.  They were spectacular this year!  There is one little sumac bush across the road from our mailbox.  Here it is as it was beginning to show its fall colors.

Finally, I about a week ago, as I was turning off the road into our driveway, the sun was getting low in the west and was shining on some cottonwood trees across the road from us.  It looked as though the heavens had picked these trees to spotlight at that moment.  I stopped the car and took this picture before I drove on to our house.

Today it is cloudy and supposed to rain later on, and I noticed these trees have lost all their leaves in preparation for their winter sleep.  It has been a hard year on the trees here in Oklahoma.  The hot, dry summer took its toll on them, I'm sure.  But, none the less, they have rewarded us with a beautiful display of color this fall and, now, they deserve to rest.