Almost color endgame

Sometimes, to gain perspective, you really need to use that proverbial wide-angle lens instead of the usual viewing tools: the telephoto and the macro. And the best place to get the widest vista is atop a promontory, such as Lantern Hill. On a chilly, quiet day, I hiked pretty much by myself, without so much as a gronking Raven or a screaming Red-tailed Hawk for company. When I reached the peak, I was given a fine view of the landscape—and an instant read on the progress of the season. Most of the color has vanished, but in places, the oaks are announcing their stubborn resistance to the dictates of abscission. Their leaves are red to red-brown and offer a sharp contrast to the leafless gray that has taken over the woods. Subtle and stark will be the watchwords of late autumn—until, of course, the natural world goes white.