Last week an excursion train carrying visitors from as far away as New York and Virginia arrived in Toccoa for our annual Harvest Festival. We had a great time and really enjoyed the weekend—it was full of activities from Friday to Sunday afternoon. This is a photo of one of the antique cars on the train. I was shocked when I noticed the leaf color in its windows. And of course, the mayor of Toccoa cued the hawk in this photo to fly over at the perfect moment.

My Dad worked for the railroad, and I’ve always found a sense of peace in the sound of a distant train whistle or of the turning rhythm of its steel wheels on train tracks.

Then there was a wave goodbye. . . .

We’re having back to back weekend activities. This coming weekend over 300 cyclists will ride along the Tugaloo Corridor near Lake Hartwell. I’m ready for that event and for the promise of seeing some of the usually closed off native Indian property where Cherokee Indians once lived.

“Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.”
—Elizabeth Lawrence

I had a friend tell me that I had lost me ability to think clearly over this photo. It was taken last Saturday of a hillside near the lake at Toccoa Falls.

I caught a glimpse of a soaring bird above Toccoa Falls yesterday. They love to glide along with the air current above the gorge area and the weather was perfect for this very thing. All week the temperatures have been in the high ’70′s, but cooler weather begins today. Looking back, we spent most of yesterday telling one another that we “are not ready for winter!”

Yesterday I walked up to the falls with our director of landscaping, and we were talking about how beautiful the leaves are this year. The summer was hot and dry but that has just made the colors more brilliant. We both were reminded of the fact that leaves are their prettiest when they are dying. (Some of my friends will understand the analogy.) Few things are more striking than a Red Maple tree in the fall.