The Colors of Halloween

The crows were fussing once again, as I awoke to what can only be described as a beautiful Sunday morning. The local corvids have been quite noisy these past few mornings, perhaps in their desire to announce that Halloween, their favorite day of the year, is almost upon us. One thing is for certain, their commotion changes from day to day and from season to season. The fussing I heard this morning struck me as particularly joyous; and though these remarkable birds are often seen as the harbingers of bad news or the dark beings who guide discarnate spirits to the land of the dead, I know that there are times when they revel in the beauty that is around them. Indeed, Indian summer has finally arrived in the Ozarks!

The past summer provided us with plentiful amounts of rain, so everyone around here has been waiting in anticipation for that which is expected to be a colorful autumn. For whatever reason, the colors have been slow in coming this year; and truth be told, things are greener than they should be for late October. Still, with the crow's morning announcement and with rain forecast for much of the week ahead, I thought that today would be a good day to at least try capturing some of the emerging colors in the local cemeteries.

 This first photo was taken from my driveway. It captures the Confederate Cemetery with a view to the northwest. Downtown Fayetteville can be seen in the background; and if you look closely, you should see the clock tower on the old Washington County Courthouse. Hangings used to take place there, back in the old days. There's not a lot of color here on East Mountain as of yet, so I didn't focus much on the cemeteries that I live by.

 Next, I drove over to the historic Evergreen Cemetery, which is situated very close to our entertainment district and the University of Arkansas. The tree in the background was displaying unique coloration as if trying to say, "take a picture of me!" So I did; several as a matter of fact. Notice the two grave markers center right. These date back to the nineteenth century.

 The maple shown here displayed some of the brightest colors available on this Sunday morning. Soon, the landscape will be filled with spectacles such as this.

Here's a shot of that unusually colored tree from a different angle.

I just love this spot. There's a small but sturdy bench to sit upon while taking in the colors, the warmth of an Indian summer morning and the peace that picturesque burial grounds such as this are able to provide.





As mentioned earlier, I was hoping to get more spectacular photos of what promises to be a glorious autumn, but the mundane activities of life, personal projects and weather may not allow. Still, it was wonderful taking in such a special place on such a beautiful morning.

The crows have announced it; the trees are now beginning their colorful autumn displays and the veil between the worlds is growing thin. All Hallows Eve is drawing nigh. Those who pay attention to such things can feel it. A Happy Halloween to all!