Fall foliage

You could just fire up your computer with a large flat screen (assuming you still own a desktop) and Google “fall foliage” to see an endless array of deciduous trees in full autumn bloom; brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow carpeting the countryside like the world’s best and biggest quilt.

You could also do the same on that tiny screen your phone offers, if squinting at a few square inches of the universe floats your proverbial boat these days — though we certainly hope you appreciate the value of looking up from the palm of your hand now and again.

These days, you can even convert photographs of your favorite outdoor scenes (whether you took the pics yourself or not), effortlessly adding fall foliage in photo-realistic or fantasy hues — or just ask the growing array of free/low-cost generative AI programs to manufacture your perfect idea of autumn colors.

That might even give you brighter images than the real thing. Seasonal prognosticators seem to be in agreement that the hot, humid and often too-dry summer we just endured increases the odds of a pale (and early) leaf-peeping season. Anyone who revels in the annual fiesta of foliage likely knows — or at least has long sensed — the role summer weather plays in shading autumn hues. Vibrant colors favor cooler weather.

Nearing and even topping the 80s so frequently in September serves as an unfavorable omen for an October opulence.

Yet we eagerly offer our annual urging: Put down the phone, shut off the TV, walk away from the couch or computer screen.

Go outside and play.

Even at its palest, autumn in Northeast Pennsylvania remains a remarkable palette hard to find anywhere else in the world. We provide our perennial explanation from the state Department of Conservation and Natural resources:

“Pennsylvania has a longer and more varied fall foliage season than any other state in the nation — or anywhere in the world. Only three regions of the world support deciduous forests that display fall autumn color: Eastern North America; the British Isles and parts of northwestern Europe; northeastern China and northern Japan. Forests in other regions are either tropical or dominated by conifers.”

And we provide our perennial pointer to the DCNR “Fall Foliage Report” at pa.gov (Full address is www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/conservation/forests-and-tree/fall-foliage-reports). This week (Sept. 25 through Oct. 1), Luzerne County is officially listed as “just starting,” while most — though not all — surrounding counties are “approaching peak color.” For the record, the only county in the Commonwealth at “peak color” is Tioga.

But the most important thing to remember about leaf peeping remains the same: the opportunity for maximum foliage enjoyment flits by so fast you need to make a little effort to fully enjoy it.

So, please, plan some time to get out and enjoy the colors in the next week or two. Consult the DCNR predictions if you want, or simply set aside a weekend to drive a bit to a spot with a view. At the very least, when you step outside for anything, or hop in your car for a drive to anywhere, look around. Even within city boundaries, color creeps in, thanks to trees along the streets and shrubs around the buildings. To borrow a quote we’ve used before:

Let autumn take your breath away.

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