Nature at its Best

Essay written by Noah Westman, Williston Central School

I see fall as a time of beauty, change and hope. As I see it, fall is almost the most beautiful time of the year. 

Fall has an incredible amount of beauty, almost as much as winter to me. Nothing can beat the sparkly, pristine, and perfect look of winter. But for sure, I think that fall would have to be a close second. 

Fall is always changing and just as I have gotten used to the beauty of the green leaves, they are vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red. Then, in what feels like the blink of an eye, there are snowflakes starting to fall, the leaves are gone, and then I just notice the most stunning and complicated maze of intertwined branches and twigs. I do not see stick season as a boring time that is just an unpleasant transition; I see stick season as its own form of beautiful, nature-made artwork. With the brown and gray sticks of the bare trees, it feels like the entire forest is a handmade basket so intricately made, with layers of weaving and complicated artwork. 

Then, of course, I cannot forget how important the vibrant colors of fall are as well. Most of us who live in Vermont would more or less agree that out of all the things fall is known for, the vibrant colors of Vermont's leaves would have to be right at the top of character builders. 

Having lived in Vermont for over eight years, I have always been amazed by these flaming pieces of fiery beauty. These vibrant colors simply light up the Vermont landscape. They fill every little nook and cranny of every forest, hill, and mountainside of this beautiful state. These harmless fires still manage to burn and bring brightness to the world even on the rainy, dark days that autumn usually has. These lively colors pervade all throughout Vermont, New Hampshire Maine, New York, and Canada. 

While fall has many visual and physical changes, I also notice a lot of emotional changes too. I find summer to be long, sad, and boring. I see fall to be quite a turning point in that regard, I find it to be an incredible metamorphosis for my feelings and what I do when I am not at school. All summer long I sit in the basement waiting for the cold weather to come. So, fall really evokes lots of good feelings. 

I have also always seen fall as the best season to just be outside with my family. Spring is just always so wet, summer is always too hot and sunny, and all of my free time in the winter is spent on skiing with my ski team at Smugglers' Notch. 

So fall is just the sweet spot for spending time with family outdoors. Fall also means adventure to me. It is the best season to go on hikes, because it is not hot like summer, not slippery and snowy like winter, and it is not slippery and rainy like spring. 

In addition to all of this, for me, more than anything else, fall means nature. Fall is just the best time of all to explore, admire, and enjoy nature. From the fiery leaves to the perfect weather for hiking, fall is nature at its best.