New England’s justifiably famous fall palette is a photographer’s dream!

A sugar maple leaf carried on the wind has come to rest in the cool crystal waters of the Quabbin Reservoir in New Salem, MA. The Quabbin is a popular destination for hikers, photographers, boaters, and picnicking families throughout the year. Hands down autumn is my favorite time to walk the trails of this vast area with camera in hand doing my best to capture the spectacular colors of the season.

This red and yellow onion garland is one of the many offerings at the Ashfield Country Fair in Western Massachusetts. Driving along the country roads to get to Ashfield is a delight in itself, especially with the trees changing color. Visitors are attracted to the fair for it’s quaintness and small town feel, top-notch handcrafted items and of course New England, maple cream topped fried dough!

These golden pumpkins nestled amongst fallen leaves appear to have captured the heat and light of the summer.

Stumbling upon the rich palette of colors and feathery textures of the green-variegated cabbage, purple kale and red leaves reaffirm my love of autumn. I love color and I can’t decide which season I love more spring or fall. I guess it is one of those in ‘the moment’ experiences.

A view from the top of Mt. Agamenticus in York, ME. Off to the east are views of the Atlantic coastline of Southern Maine and to the north and the west in the distance you can see the Green Mountains of New Hampshire. Mt. Agamenticus offers a wonderful change of pace from the sandy beaches of York, Ogunquit and Wells Maine. In addition to the views there are suitable hiking trails for the casual walker/hiker.

A view of Frenchmen’s Bay from the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine. The views atop this mountain are superb! Cadillac Mountain is one of the first places in the east the sun touches at daybreak; the reason many make the pilgrimage to this park.

I was surprised that there was still a lot of colorful foliage in the park considering it was the end of October. As you can see in this photo looking down into a deep valley on the other side of Cadillac Mtn. from Frenchmen’s Bay. The paved footpath on top of the mountain makes it easy to see all the views and to access marked hiking trails.

These wooden rail fences are there to remind visitors to stay on the path and off the scrubby bushes and other vegetation that struggle to grow on this rocky peak. I recall on an earlier trip there was a lot more vegetation on the peak than this visit – tourists and climate conditions take their toll.

A very stormy and rainy Saturday produced many impressive waterfalls cascading down rocky cliffs for Sunday along the drive up to the peak of Cadillac Mtn.

The pines, surf and rocky shoreline all coming together as shown in this photo are why I love the coastline of Maine.

On my way to work I come across the rituals of spring in New England…..tapping of the maple trees.

Rows of metal buckets capturing the flow of maple sap.

Local production……….begins with the branding of each metal bucket. Initials on the buckets evoke images of families participating in the age old tradition of maple sugaring. Steam will later rise through the roof of a sugar shack promising the sweet amber liquid over stacks of pancakes.

Family maple bucket on River Road, South Deerfield, MA.

A chill in the air, the scent of hyacinth…harbingers of spring in New England.

Reflections at the Smith College Bulb Show

Full color spectrum at Smith College Greenhouse

Tulips always say Spring!

Though we may not be traveling this winter, we can immerse ourselves in memories of sparkling blue:

The beach at Peter Island, British Virgin Islands

Hilltop View, Peter Island, British Virgin Islands

A relaxing picnic spot on Peter Island

Welcome to Reflections of a Wanderer, an archive of travels with my camera, with occasional commentary on the Big Ideas of our time, and my unique perspective as a nature lover and citizen of the world.

Woodland Garden Path