First Sign of Fall

Summer has been a bit of a grind this year, but I've managed to muddle through. As I took Otis the Wonder Dog outside this morning to do his obligatory sniffing and marking of everything in the yard, I noticed a welcomed sight on the other side of the street... one of the big old maples has started to turn.
The small patch of reddening leaves immediately made me smile at the thought of the upcoming season... my favorite by far. Last year, the fall weather was pretty miserable around here. When the leaves were turning, rain and wind ripped them from the trees as fast as the chlorophyll began for fade. My photo files typically bulge with with shots of fall color, but not last year. My photo outings were pretty fruitless, so my hopes are high that this fall season will be spectacular. 
Of course, the possibilities of fresh venison, wild mushrooms, spawning trout, and a myriad of other appealing goings-on has my blood moving and sends me into this fine day with optimism and vigor. Time to smear some paint and perhaps... a hike a bit later :)