A commentator on NPR, or perhaps from our local KUFM station, remarked that English is the only language with two words for this season – autumn and fall. But two words would not begin to describe the cacophony of colors our gardens and wild landscapes elevate to a final indispensable level of beauty which gives us this last season of glory before being covered with frost and snow to wait for spring.

We all recognize the standard change of tree leaves from green to gold or crimson but are less apt to notice the gold and rust of peonies or the yellow and black of an aster finished blooming as the plants themselves change. Sometimes the changes are subtle and surprising like these bright red willow seedling stems creating an abstract pattern over the rocks along the Blackfoot River, or spectacular like the panoramic views of foliage above the river or on the mountainsides, either of which could rival the much vaunted colors of Vermont, New Hampshire and the other hardwood forests of the East.

Here are just a few of the spectacular color scenes I’ve found around Missoula the last week or two.

Thess first two are on the hillside above the Blackfoot River just above Bonner and except for the lumber roads looks much like the photo of the Great Smoky Mountains on my business calendar.

Looking up the Jocko River Valley from Mary's garden east of Arlee, ...

... and looking up towards Mt. Jumbo from Terry and Sue's backyard. (Remember the garden tour last summer?)

From the top of Council Butte you can see all the way back to Missoula and Mt. Sentinel.