Today marks the first official full day of autumn, but fall comes early to the Canadian Rockies. We’ve been experiencing it for weeks. If you need proof, we’ve had lots of snow so far this month, there are fall colours everywhere, and Jack Frost has left his mark.
But for me, the best piece of proof that fall has arrived comes from seeds. In September, our plants throw themselves into the task of making seeds: in a frantic effort to beat winter, they create miniature templates of themselves, and send them forth into the mountains. My favourites are the species that defy gravity, producing extremely light seeds wrapped in gossamer fluff. When these seeds are dry, and the wind gets to them, they head skyward, to journey for miles, or dozens of miles.
Yellow dryas
This fall, I made a concerted effort to photograph some of these seeds, as they are things of beauty. Enjoy the show.
Happy autumn, everyone!
Willow at Bow Lake
River Beauty
Cotton Grass
