Autumn in the Palisades

The uninitiated state mockingly that there are two seasons in LA, the rainy season and everything else. We, the cognoscenti, however, realize that although it may be subtle, autumn in the Palisades does exist. There is the slight change in ambient temperature, the diminishing hours of daylight, the exhilarating experience of awakening at 6 am in total darkness, and the increased school hour traffic on Sunset Blvd. There is also the thrill of Saturday AYSO soccer games and of Sunday night football, the need on Saturday evenings for that light jacket that has been hibernating for months, and the appearance of October’s forbidden fruit. But for me the best part is the annual transformation of the trees. No, neither the palms nor the eucalyptus feel the need to alter their appearance, but travel up Alma Real towards the village and watch the brilliant color changes that develop in the maple trees this time of year. I realize that it’s not New England bountiful, but the glorious changes from green, to yellow and red on that stretch of road toward the center of town are awe-inspiring. These changes symbolize the passage of time, the evolution of life, and the hope that accompanies change.  If the trees can become more beautiful before they lay down their leaves, it seems that we also can also become more inspired, more adventuresome, more willing to alter our ways before our winter arrives. Any season is a wonderful season to reside in the Palisades, but autumn, for me, is a particularly special time. For a brief period of time I can be transported to the New Hampshire foliage, but I can still return home before the bone-chilling freeze of East Coast winter arrives.