While It Lasts
The Colors of Fall
T
he stroke of the paintbrush starts in the northwestern corner of
Nebraska, near Fort Robinson State Park, and sweeps across the
state to Indian Cave, turning the green leaves of summer hues of
yellow, red, orange and purple.
It starts with the sumac, which turns a fiery red in some years
even before September arrives. Vines in the understory are
next, with Virginia creeper and wild grape turning shades of
red. By mid-September, green ash is ablaze in yellow. When
October comes, yellow has begun flowing from west to east in
the cottonwoods that tower above the rivers. By the middle of
By Eric Fowler
28 NEBRASKAland • OCTOBER 2015
