the last beautiful days of autumn

I've borrowed the name of this post from a John Nichols book - the middle volume of his trilogy about life in Taos, New Mexico.  Attracted to anything that includes photography, fly fishing for trout, wood cutting, VW Microbuses, wine, women & mountains, I read all three pieces in the '80's (the other two being "If Mountains Die" and "On The Mesa").  His opening lines still ring true to me - "I live for autumn.  All year long I have reveries of those cool beautiful days to come, and memories of Octobers past."  Even though it is December, today was one of those days.  Blue skies striped with clouds, a cool morning turned to warmth and on the last of the ivy clinging to the Fine Arts Building, color - autumn color.