You may think that Jeff has gone off his rocker but bear with me. (pun intended)

I was reading an article that looked at life based on A.A. Milne’s honey-loving stuffed bear, Winnie the Pooh (WTP), dispensing wisdom in the 100-acre woods to his friends. I happen to think this will equally apply to searching for the fall colors in New England. Although I’m hoping Mr. Milne won’t mind if I take this liberty in my interpretation of his writings.

WTP on being in a hurry…

“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there someday.”

A. A. Milne

I see both in myself and in others, that we go rushing from tree to tree to capture the fall colors. We should be focusing on remembering them and enjoying the colors they give us. But we get to our hotels, drop our bags and then jump on the road to start exploring. We go driving to and fro only to be told, “Oh it was so much better over there”. So we jump in the car to race to where they said it was so much better.

Once there, we find that the color isn’t any better than where we just were. The grass isn’t always greener as we rush from there to here and we find “here” is just as nice.

Many of you may say, no, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, a helpful point out will lead to a more impressive view.

What matters is this, at the end of the day, how you are feeling? Do you feel satisfied with what you found or do you feel you kept missing “the peak”?

Taking this fall foliage trip should bring you joy. The goal is not the destination, the goal is to enjoy the journey.

WTP on Planning a trip

“Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best,” and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.”

A. A. Milne

Some people plan the heck out of their trip and others wait till they get there to start making decisions. Either way, you do it, there is that point from just after you have made the decision to go till you arrive that just fills us with anticipation. Some people stress over this “wanting it to be perfect”, and that is bad. But I think most of us think about and dream about what the trip will hold for us.

Each day on this “foliage Vacation” will lead to new sights and sounds. For those repeat visitors, it will be to visit old friends. It may be a B&B owner, whom you come to each fall because the stay is so comfortable. For me, it’s usually a place that feels comfortable and welcoming. Stretches of road like the “Kanc” or Smuggler’s Notch and its heart-stopping switchbacks, or maybe climbing a less-known Notch road.

Whether you plan out the trip or not, both are their own forms of planning, and once the decision is made it feels really good. You tell your friends about the trip and maybe they tell you about their visit to a must-not-miss location. Maybe they say “Oh we want to do that too!”. This point of pre-travel can actually feel better than the actual trip… Although I hope the trip is so much better.

WTP on doing nothing as it relates to the fall colors

“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”

A. A. Milne

Yes, there is nothing wrong with just sitting and enjoying the fall colors. I’m sure my grandparents did that and maybe your grandparents as well. If I had a porch with a view like this then I would be inclined to spend a peaceful morning or two here.

Here is where I will also say that after 5-10 minutes on the porch I would jump up and grab my camera and photograph the trees in the yard. You see while I will say it’s perfectly fine to sit and do nothing, I’m LOUSY at doing it.

Our culture is wrapped around the thought that to do nothing is lazy or not ambitious and I know I am both those things at various times but to sit still and relax, is work. Even if I go to the beach, you will either see me walk up and down its length or I will sit looking at my phone. But to just sit and watch the waves, that is hard.

When it comes to the fall colors, I do feel like I’m missing it, if I stop and relax. I can stop and photograph, move a bit and get another angle but waiting there for an hour or two to see what the changing light will show me??? That would cause me to rip my hair out… Oops, too late, all gone. 🙂

WTP on finding the Fall Colors

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

A. A. Milne

You can’t wait for the fall colors to come to you or can you? As you may realize by reading the above section, I’m not one to relax and simply wait for the fall colors to come to me. The last thing I want to do is to wait in Northcentral Massachusetts (pick a location like Groton MA) and just wait and watch as September arrives and changes into vibrant October’s fall colors.

I start to get meaningful reports in mid-September and I’m aching to be on the road to go locate the scenes of fall colors that I see reported on my social media. I want to be out there chasing down each branch with leaves turning red and orange.

So while you CAN wait, for the fall colors to come to you, I want to be in the thick of it. I want to visit a pond where the swamp maples along the shore have turned crimson or fiery orange.

I want to bask in their colorful glow. This gift from God is something that I can’t wait to embrace the excitement of each fall.

Excitement mixed with anticipation is a strong emotion. We often don’t stop and indulge in this feeling. Next time you find yourself in this state, allow yourself to really enjoy it.

WTP on the Art of being lost

“I’m not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am, may be lost.”

A. A. Milne

As I tell people in my “The Art of Getting Lost”, I may not know the road I’m on but I know the general location, and the state, and I can find out where on the map I’m heading. If not, I stop and refer to my GPS to get a better idea.

Look, uncertainty in life is inevitable. We can never be sure of the path we’re taking. But not knowing what road you’re on doesn’t mean you’re lost… It means you are exploring. But if you are getting nervous, stop and get a point out from your GPS.

Happy Foliage Travels to all my friends out there!

Jeff Foliage Folger

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

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