As the sun starts to clear the hills behind me, I blow on my hands to warm my fingers. I look across the distance of water, and I can see a small white church’s steeple growing brighter. As the sky lightens the hills above and beyond the church, a hint of fall color can be seen in the trees on the ridge.

My excitement begins to build, hoping that I have picked a good day to find this spot and await the dawn. The water is still warm so there is a thick mist rising from the dark water, obscuring any reflections, so far. A few other people stop and look at the scene, curious as to why I’m standing there. One is a photographer who snaps a quick shot and then jumps back into his car, heading off for more fruitful foliage grounds. This is my first time here and, I want to see how it will turn out!

I’m standing on the sandy public beach of a small lake northeast of Ossipee NH.  This is Crystal Lake and the town or village of Eaton NH is your target. Only a few, short weeks ago, this stretch of sand would have been filled with moms and their kids enjoying the warm water and sun. Now it’s the 10th of October and the frosty morning air holds the promise of the future snow to come, rather than the recently departed sun-filled, summer days.

The morning sun begins to rise above the hill behind me and conversely, the light starts sliding down the hill behind the white church. As the sun climbs, so does the temperature. Now the mist begins to thin enough to see the hills cloaked in their autumn dress reflected in the surface of the lake.

At first, it’s just a peek of fall foliage here or there on the surface, but soon a breeze pushes the mist into little eddies. The church’s tall, slender steeple, can be seen reflected in the water.

The sun illuminates the white church & fall foliage

Suddenly the sun rises above the ridge and the church glows white and this pierces the mist rising on the dark lake as the sun hasn’t touched the surface yet. I can see a clear reflection on the surface, and I take a rapid succession of shots as I recompose the scene by walking down the beach, placing the tripod catching a couple more shots, and moving a bit further.

The fall foliage isn’t perfect, as bare trees and a few green ones are sown about the scene. Now that I’ve been here once, I think to myself, (cliché by Arnold) that “I’ll be back!”. I have to, because this could be better, so I want to keep trying. If I only could catch it with all the trees in a fiery glow of fall foliage splendor.

I was on the road early this morning to get here, so I get back in my car and on the road. A short distance I find an open café is doing a brisk business. It seems the ‘go to work traffic’ is all running in to get their morning coffee, so I join them.  I find a spot inside at the counter and wrap my frozen fingers around a mug of steaming coffee.

Posters and pictures on the walls show advertisements for local events and things for sale along with images of locals who have contributed to the town. A fishing trophy image with a father and son catches my eye and I ponder the small-town feel of the place… Not a bad way to spend your life…

Soon I’m on my way and I go exploring over by Tamworth and Ossipee and points west but that is a story for another day.

Jeff Foliage Folger

Autumn is a state of mind more than a time of year – Jeff Foliage

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