October 2024 Backyard Bulletin

View the full edition at this link. Cover Photo by Janet Bauer.

In a very predictable turn of October events, the venerable larch has become a focal point of many conversations, articles, and photographs. So what else can I do, but hop on the bandwagon? Larches are perhaps the most charismatic plant October has to offer - so charismatic that the masses come in droves to snap perfectly framed photos and share them with jealous friends back home. We're talking about rockstar levels of charisma. If you don't believe me, check out this actual image from Maple Pass mid-October. I love larches, and when I'm able to set aside my cynicism about crowding, I find it really beautiful that so many people make a long pilgrimage to the mountains to connect in some way with a single, incredible moment in the life of a plant.

That said, I don't want the charisma of October larches to keep me (or you!) from appreciating all of the other, more subtle changes that fall brings. There aren't any pictures of larches in this newsletter because I find the autumn moments that connect me most deeply to the Methow Valley are defined by their charm rather than their charisma. It's watching the texture of the golden hillsides change as the sun's light settles into new positions. It's the painterly riparian areas with a perfectly executed color palette, inspiring some mythical combination of nostalgia and awe. It's the varied textures of flowers now turned to seed heads, already building the foundation for next year's annual bloom. These moments offer themselves quietly as things to notice and experience rather than things to seek or capture. I'll disclaim one final time that this is not an anti-larch publication, but it's no secret that I'm pro-backyard: it's right there in the title, after all. So I'll always gladly remind you about the glory of standing still and looking closely at the wonders nearby.

- Bridger Layton, Education Programs Coordinator