Golden sugar maples

The sugar maples down in the ravine forest below the house keep on bringing fall color in golden yellows. Sheltered from frost, they've been late to turn color (and definitely late to lose their leaves).

Sugar maples, in late afternoon light

Late fall color and dog treats

A last blast of fall color with Japanese maples and native maples has been lovely. 

Across the street

 An odd confluence of minimal fall frosts & freezes, combined with warm weather has extended leaf season for natives and non-natives alike. 

I'd never had thought I'd have the door open to cool off the house on November 28, as I'm simmering turkey broth from an "echo" turkey this evening, post-Thanksgiving spent with relatives. (My gardening companion likes "left-over" turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, etc. and this is his birthday week, so....)

 A favorite walk of mine is to loop up and around the historic Grove Park Inn. 

The downward side of the loop comes along Kimberly Avenue.  A dog-lover (I'm imagining in memory of one) has kindly put this up, as a stop along the way, for those of us who have furry friends along on our walks.

Dog treats

Fall sunset

Fall color is at its peak now in the Asheville basin, spilling down from the higher elevations to, perhaps briefly, illuminate the ridges surrounding the city and our neighborhoods.

The view of our neighbor's hickory in sunset light was wonderful this evening after a couple of days of rain.

Hickory and sunset

View from the deck

The fall colors are muted this year, because of rain and warm temperatures, but are still wonderfully vivid.

They're close to peak now, a good couple of weeks late, I'd think,

Hickories, maples, black gums, buckeyes, etc. illuminate the ravine view.

ravine forest view in fall

Fall colors emerge

Fall colors are peeking out - dogwoods here and there, sourwoods on forest edges, and a few early maples.

This oak leaf hydrangea had an edge of brilliant leaves, with more to come.

oakleaf hydrangea and Blue Ridge view (at NC Arboretum)