reasoning leaves

Have you ever watched an old farmer, walking back and forth from the barn, trying to fix a stubborn piece of equipment, and there is a teenager puppy bounding along exuberantly back and forth in front of him, tripping him up occasionally and generally being a nuisance?
and then finally that old farmer gets frustrated with the pup and he boots him good from hell to breakfast, and the kick catches the puppy under the belly and vaults him with a thud against the barn wall and the pup whimpers off under a tractor?
The old farmer is instantly remorseful and calls the pup over and pets his sun warmed soft belly that is turned toward him in submission.

After this springs cruel freeze and this summers drought, I kinda felt like that puppy being petted when this fall gave us a little water back in our creeks and one of the most beautiful and bright falls I have ever seen!
Then I read this article "Why Autumn Colors are so Late"

"The elevated carbon dioxide levels keep photosynthesis going for longer and so maintain the greenness of the plant for more of the autumn "because a CO2 rich atmosphere allows the tree to generate carbon-rich compounds that are known to prolong the life of leaves," Taylor explained.

While the carbon dioxide keeps the leaves productive for longer, it also gives the tree less control over its period of dormancy, which it needs to prepare for the winter and spring. This could make the trees more susceptible to winter's chill, Taylor said."

Well patooey!
Anyway, it has really been a bright fall to remember, I took a kajillion photos, and am trying out sticking a slideshow in the blog, as follows (goody! an experiment! nothing new for anyone else, but new for me, cheap thrills are the only kind I know)