This year, I can definitely say: “I saw Tennessee’s peak colors!”
As evidenced by the pictures I took of Fall colors along the Natchez Trace last weekend, I was one of the lucky ones to see firsthand Tennessee’s natural beauty …at its peak!
But what a difference a day makes. Just check out this photo of a tree I photographed last Saturday, then again the very next day:
This rapid loss of foliage was due to a very windy night — one which stripped many of Tennessee’s trees of their colorful leaves in a matter of hours.
So, I decided to hop in my Jeep…with my dog in tow.
I wanted to see how the colorful landscapes had changed along the Natchez Trace…overnight!
The colors were still quite vivid — on the trees which managed to hold onto their leaves.
But, for the most part, the damage had been done.
There were lots of gaping holes in the color palette, showing the bright blue skies through the branches:
Another comparison… Saturday photo vs Sunday morning photo:
Fortunately, I happened upon a few colorful spots along the Natchez Trace which yielded some more great photographs…
I decided to go back to that spot where I saw the “professional” photographers taking pictures of their dogs the day before. They had quite an eye for backgrounds… this definitely seemed like the best place to photograph a dog amidst the colorful trees.
For some reason, there were also a TON of deer on the Natchez Trace this time. The funniest part was the number of bucks I saw in my photos AFTER the fact — without even knowing that there was a deer in my shot… they blended into the foliage so well.
The best thing about being out on the Natchez Trace Parkway on this particular morning???
It literally SMELLED like autumn!
You know… that smell of damp, freshly fallen leaves on wet roads from the light showers the night before, and heaping piles of wet leaves which lined the entire roadway. There’s nothing like it.
For me, it’s similar to the smell of freshly lit charcoal on the grill, and recently mowed grass… distinct smells that trigger the senses and cause you to flashback on nothing but good memories, year after year.
Let this be a lesson to us all… don’t forget to stop and smell Autumn!
We’ve lived in the Nashville area since 2001 — and all 3 of our houses have been situated relatively close to the Natchez Trace Parkway. To me, the ‘The Trace’ is a hidden gem of Nashville — a place to go when you want to get away from it all and be one with nature. I’ve hiked it, biked it, motorcycled it, walked it with my dogs, and driven my car on The Natchez Trace Parkway more times than I can count! This is where I share some of my favorite things to do along the Natchez Trace Parkway — which runs 444 miles from Nashville Tennessee to Natchez Mississippi and through parts of Alabama. When I’m not enjoying the beautiful outdoors along the Natchez Trace Parkway, you’ll find me at the corner of Good News & Fun Times as publisher of The Fun Times Guide (32 fun & helpful websites).
