The gloom of dusky, cloudy days has once again begun its descent upon the Midwest, where we typically enjoy months enduring what someone once dubbed “the Gray Tunnel.” I defiantly reject the common habit of blaming sour moods as being induced by the weather. Weather is not the changeable part of the equation; your response to it is. That said, though, there is something undeniably buoyant in witnessing nature’s finest moments.

These include the annual spectacle known as “the colors.” Among the most famous are the foliage extravaganzas to be found in the hardwood forests of New England and the upper Midwest. The changing trees in their broad palette of hues are worthy of every “ooh!” and “ahh!”

Then there are the Dorado Days of my native state of Colorado. “Dorado” is the Spanish word for “golden,” and each aspen leaf has the wonderful appearance of being like a gold medallion. At times, the aspen leaves blanket the ground such that walking through them is deeply enriching and a little magical, the way it must feel to wander through the piles of bright treasure in a dragon’s lair.

The view is like an etching with distinct borders, each element grouped: the golden aspens, the deep green spruce and pine trees, the brilliant blue sky, the stark white aspen trunks. What a visual feast! It creates a certain vividness, and a different sense of awe than that offered by the still-beautiful but more muted and blended colors of the east.

During this year’s autumnal visit to Colorado’s high country, both the long-standing drought and the smoky haze of the fires raging throughout the west had an effect on the acuity of the colors. And yet they were stunning. Several times, a breeze assisted leaves ready to let go, and they fell in flurries, delightfully showering me. Those still clinging to their branches quaked, and enlivened the hillside with their fluttering.

Backdropped by rocky peaks still devoid of winter’s snow, the vistas nourished eyes preparing for the monochrome of the months of wintertime to come. It’s also a welcome thought that surely the outdoor world in those months, as well, will welcome those who dress for the weather and get out the door.

Meanwhile, these Dorado Days are becoming a habit. My joy in sharing the images of those golden days remains unabated.