Even though in Southern California, we can now feel that summer is over and winter is getting closer. The reason is altitude. Six thousand feet above the ocean will give you some sense of seasons, even in the sub-tropics. It is only three weeks away from the time where we had the first snow last year.

Over the last week, trees have put on their autumn outfit and are now all brown after a brief green-brown phase. Sure, many trees will remain green all year, but the oaks around here now invite you to collect colorful leaves and put them between the pages of a book to dry and preserve.

Days become noticeably shorter, and now, as I write this, half past five, it is completely dark. But a bit earlier I noticed a symphony of colors developing above the mountains, and I was able to capture a glimpse of it…