A Bit of Color

This year, foliage colors in Mine Falls Park, Nashua, NH, wasn't as gloriously colorful as in previous years. That's what I found out during a walk there earlier this week.

Usually, fall colors are viewed from the ground up and looking at the trees. But looking down revealed some very colorful photo opps. There were many vibrant colors seen by looking in the waters of the canal that flows through the park.

The name Mine Falls dates from the 1700s, when low quality lead was supposedly mined from the island below the falls. In the early 1800s, the potential of the Nashua River to drive the wheels of industry was recognized. Workers used shovels and mules to dig the three-mile long canal that powered area mills, including Nashua Manufacturing Company. This mill building is now Clocktower Place, a residential apartment building and our current home.

Light created some beautiful patterns during my short ramble. I wanted to see some fall color since by the time we return from our UK trip (there now), most trees could be leaf-free. Autumn is such a lovely and colorful season, my favorite of all four seasons; winter comes next.

Typically, New England's foliage starts in early October and peaks towards the end of the month. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, this year the best leaf peeping opportunities will be in early October with many areas at or near peak fall color even by mid-October. 

However, this year's wet weather means that some colors are less vibrant than usual. This past summer was very rainy in New England, characterized by flash flooding in Vermont and the second-wettest July on record in Boston, MA. Nashua, NH, also had a lot of rainy days.

Too much rain affects leaf colors as it causes fungus on leaves, especially on sugar maples. This can cause trees to drop leaves early after turning brown. It's been so wet that the saps and the sugars are not all that concentrated in the leaves. The sugars are what create the leaves vibrant red colors. It's why many areas could have more pastel or muted leaf colors this year. 

Still, I found vibrant colors just by looking at the canal waters that flow through the park.

Luckily, the 325-acre Mine Falls Park is vehicle-free, aside from bicycles. The park includes forest, wetlands, and open fields; it is bordered on the North by the Nashua River and on the South by the Millpond and canal system.

Best of all, it's within walking distance of the mill apartments.