Autumn is fleeting. This was made clear the past three days.

72 hours ago, a splendid reflection of aspens off our neighborhood lake.

The air was warm, the leaves vibrant.

To truly see the beauty of this planet, you have to be willing to look.

A duck makes her way through the leaf clusters.

Today the wind picked up, the snow flurries began, dropping the lingering leaves to the ground.

Gone is the brilliant color. They nestle into the earth, almost swept aside like dirt off a floor. Their time is done. Soon, the woods will be a world of cold, wind and white.

Fall is short, and fall is splendid. Fall is splendid because it is so short.