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This weekend looks like the peak of color for the leaves in the Finger Lakes. The color of the leaves is more muted this year as we have had near drought conditions all summer long, and many of the leaves are just drying up and falling from the trees. Down in Vine Valley, a hamlet of Middlesex, NY, Mother Nature is putting on quite a show this weekend.

At the bottom of the picture, one can see the sunflowers ready for harvest. It was just a couple of months ago that they were a beautiful yellow, but now their heads are bowed to the ground, heavy with seeds, and ready for harvest. Just behind the sunflowers, one can see a green patch of grass which has been cut for the last time this year. And behind that stands a newly prepared field which will be planted with winter wheat for next year’s crop. But the real show is up on the side of Bare Hill where the greens, yellows, and reds of the leaves stand out against the blue of the sky. The trees are rapidly preparing for the winter which is on its way.

Down along Canandaigua Lake at Vine Valley, the boats have been pulled from the water and are now in storage. The whole scene looks deserted. Wasn’t it just a month ago that children were swimming in the water and laughing and playing along the beach?

But now the ducks are having their time as they forage among the washed up green weeds for their lunch. They happily sort through the weeds in search of something to eat, not caring that I am watching them. No other humans are in sight.

The brilliant red maple that is planted in the Vine Valley Park is at its peak. The leaves are smaller this year due to the drought, but the color it still there if only for a short time. I picked up a few  leaves and brought them home to press them out for the child which is in me as I know that I won’t see such beautiful leaves for another year.