The leaves have just gone past peak here (central NC) and it was a disappointing year. Very muted colors and not much in the red or orange range. Many leaves were blown off the trees before a color change leaving piles of dull brown leaves all over the place.

Did others have a lackluster leaf season or was it better elsewhere?

They stunk here, too. They were juuuust starting to look good and the horrible weather hit - severe winds and torrential rains - took most of the leaves off the trees. Bummer.

Oops - forgot to say - I live in Chicago.

I also live in central N.C.! We are in severe draught here, so other than the maple trees being their usual beautiful colors, things were pretty brown.

I live in central Maryland, and we've had a very pretty season here. My husband and I traveled up to the mid-Hudson area of New York for a wedding this past weekend and found beautiful color there--vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows that were even better than in Maryland. We had thought it would be well past peak up there because it's so much farther north than we are, but it was terrific. My sympathies to those of you who've had a poor fall season. It's my favorite time of year, and I've been very disappointed in years when the colors were less than spectacular.

The leaves were dull here as well...just outside of Toronto.
Must have something to do with the
lack of rain this summer??

Here in the Hudson Valley in NY, we had great foliage, the best in years! And, it's still lingering!

Not sure if everything just seems more intense since 9/11, but I thought the foliage in Eastern Connecticut was the best in years - intense shades of yellow, glowing orange and flaming red -- and it lingered. Enjoyed many rides through the countryside, the trees forming a lovely canopy over the road. There's a nice chill this afternoon and I anticipate a cozy winter toasting marshmallows in the fireplace!

Sluggo: Can I come over to your house tonight?

Pardon me for digressing . . .

Isn't it funny how people are split between those of us who are used to or like winter weather, and those of us who can't tolerate it?

I agree about anticipating a cozy winter. My brother in law and his wife, who have lived in Florida for the past 15-20 years, refused to come to Chicago for our son's baptism (their first nephew or niece) because it was in January.

I say, "those kind" of folk just don't know what they're missing!

Susan: How right you are! I am thought to be crazy because I love winter. I think it is more beautiful than spring, at least here in Chicago. It makes me laugh when the weather forecasters here grimace when they predict snow - I relish it!

Here in central NH and Vermont, it was an above average year for color - lots of reds and oranges. There is still a little color left in the oaks, but all the maples and birchs are bare. It's spitting snow right now!

Wow! I live just 20 miles from Chicago (Southwest)and our leaves and total color were fantastic this year! In fact our red dwarf maples and red sunset maples are still holding on, dispite some really brisk winds today. I've noticed in the last 10 years or so that my mom in the city of Chicago loses her leaves at least 2 weeks before I do and that they never color up to snuff. I read that it is because of the combination of street lights and soil depletion (nutrients)- as they salt the streets very heavily. The weather was beautiful, although windy,today and coming to work through the forest perserves was like coming down through a gold and red bowl. It's about a week or two past prime- but still beautiful. My college campus was breathtaking this year and my purple ash were true purple for the first time- but they are only about 5 or 6 years old. I love this time of year the best, although I don't mind winter either. We had a community hayride last Saturday and have been mulching and piling wood from a central supply in our sub-division with some neighbors since. We finished three new gardens today and now I have to go to work in order to get some rest. Ha-Ha!

Every season has it's bounty and it's beauty. I don't like driving in snow-but do remember so very many happy days walking home with my skates and coming into a stew/ soup aromaed kitchen after I had skated until my feet felt like bricks. We used to have ice from right after Christmas until March or April, and it never melted at the park. I like winter and every windy, blustery Spring day. I love Chicago weather as I love change and variety. Next weekend I start to get ready for Thanksgiving and also start piling up the logs.

Happy Halloween everyone and be kind to someone for your treat!

Very good year in Eastern Mass. The leaves are still mostly on the trees in Boston - its been a warm fall (highs near 70 tomorrow). I don't think they have long to go, though.

I went to the Catskill Mountains in New York. The leaves were the best I've seen in years. The colors were so brilliant. Beautiful reds and yellows. It was a good year here.

We live in Southeastern Pennsylvania and the foliage this year the best in many, many years! Today the leaves are still 'peak' and with a warming trend, perhaps may linger throught the weekend!

I envy all the people who've had beautiful fall foliage. We live in Brussels, Belgium, and it's been a total bust this year. We had the warmest October on record (ditto for the UK and their records go back to 1659!) so the trees are still green. Cooler weather has finally arrived, but also wind, so the leaves will probably be stripped from the trees before they turn color. We had a beautiful fall season in 1999, but this year there's been almost no color change at all.

North of Boston - browner, later, but still falling!

Here in Buffalo half the trees lost their leaves at the end of August because of a severe drought all summer. The trees that kept their leaves are a muted yellow - many of them are still green. Have hardly seen any of the beautiful reds and oranges we normally have!

autumn leaves???? in photos only, we're running the AC 24/7. Got a little cold yesterday but by 10 I had the AC in the car back on....enjoy whatever shades you get, they're a special treat!!! p.s. I'm in Miami.