Week of October 11, 2026 – October 17, 2026
by Katie McLaughlin, Environmental Educator
I find orange is a color I notice in nature in all seasons.
The magic of fall begins with a pop of orange in the trees. The days are growing shorter, the temperature is cooling, and the fiery colors appear almost overnight through the area. On any hike I go on I watch the leaves float down from the sky, when I am with children I tell them if they can catch one they can make a wish.
In winter it’s the sunrises and sunsets that are sent to me from friends across the world. I will send a picture of the sunset to my friend in South Korea and she will send me the sunrise at the same time, even though we are approximately 6,700 miles apart we still share the same sky.
In spring we have a blossoming of colors, yellows, purples… I find my orange in the salamanders emerging from a long winter nap. An eft of red-orange or a red backed salamander? Reminds me that we will soon have growth again. Nature is beginning to awaken once more, just as it always does.
In summer I notice the day lilies along the sides of the road, reaching out towards the open area to catch as much sun as they can. Moving in the breeze as cars drive past. Then the cycle starts over as I see the maple tree in the main parking lot start to change in August.
We return to fall, where the forest is blazing with a short window of orange before it becomes harder to find again. To me? Orange is a color of magic as it reminds me most of fall and its fleeting color palette we have for such a short time.
What color do you find yourself seeking out in nature?