The sports scene is worrisome, but the foliage is fantastic!

So this year may not be the year for New England sports fans.  We’re feeling the pain of last night’s 9-1 Red Sox loss to the Rays.  The Sox are only down 2-1 in the series, so we’re not giving up hope!  But the Brady-less Patriots…well, the less said the better.  Basketball fans still have the Celtics, who are looking good while we await the start of their season.  For now, though, we’re lucky to have the fall foliage, which is plenty to energize us.

It turns out that this year’s soggy summer created prime conditions for a fabulous fall!  The horticulturalists explain that the trees are hydrated and happy.  And the last week or so has provided wonderful weather for enjoying leaves and fall outdoor activities.  For me, the weekend included apple picking and a Cambridge street festival.  For Fletcher students, there was a camping trip in New Hampshire.

Fall foliage is more than just the leaves on the trees in New England.  There’s a huge travel industry built around it, with regular bulletins for leaf-peepers.  Here on the campus and throughout the area, living among the leaves, it’s a special time.  The air is crisp, the light is golden, and we hear the rustle of the leaves when we walk.