Serene Karplus, Nederland.  Summer slipped past like a kid sliding into home base. High mountain wildflowers graced our meadows with hottest pink paintbrush, elephant heads, and asters. Hillsides of yellow and red, purple and blue, stunned us with miles of millions of tiny petals, cups, and bells working their wizardry to transform massive granite into riotous color.

But now the show is over. For those who blinked and missed it, we host another locally famous event during the next couple of weeks only, the warm-up act already performing.

The art of leaf-peeping requires diligent daily practice to perfect. Amateurs from the plains drive up Boulder Canyon and turn north. Local mountain folks know that the best tour drives north to south so that the sun lights the leaves from behind. We cruise up the Peak to Peak early in the day to marvel at the return ride south before the clouds block the sun.

Driving provides only a snapshot view of aspens. Anyone who has the use of legs must walk into groves of aspens to fully experience the golden light showering us, the breeze caressing our skin, and the flutter tickling our ears. The enchantment reverberates inside the aspen forests and our spirits respond.

The aspens beckon and draw us into their world. Footpaths for humans to enter their enclave welcome us.  We find the path and boldly step in, pull up a log and sit a spell. With a sketchbook, journal, or friend, we share the wonder.

September is a precious, fragile month, with summer wildflowers the week before and snow the month after. Its fleeting moment of magic does not wait even a day for us to notice. So many of us say, “I am busy today, I shall visit tomorrow,” and a storm in the night blows all the leaves away.

Some of us have also reached the September of our lives. We cannot stop the rapid advance of time, but we can change how we view its gifts. No more overlooks from the outside in – we need to jump in and experience it all.

All changes in the blink of an eye. Now is all we have. The work will still be there tomorrow. The leaves – or whatever glory we revel in – may not.

Stop. Breathe in the gold, the light.

Go. Play.

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We invite everyone to tour the aspen leaf show along the Peak to Peak Highway the mornings of Saturday and Sunday, September 20 & 21 Then stop at the Nederland Community Center between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. for a breakfast of eggs, sausage, and all the pancakes you care to eat. Cost is only $7 Adults, $5 Seniors over 60, and $4 Kids under 12. All proceeds benefit the nonprofit Nederland Area Seniors.

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Everyone is invited to the Nederland Area Seniors luncheon at the Nederland Community Center at noon. A donation of $4 is requested from those over 60 years of age and $8.25 all others, but no seniors are turned away due to inability to pay. Please make reservations by 4 p.m. Friday for Monday lunch and 4 p.m. Monday for Wednesday lunch at 303-258-0799.

Monday, September 15: Sunshine Egg Bake w Veggies/Cheese, Oven Fried Potatoes/Blueberry Muffin, Citrus

Wednesday, September 17: Pork Chop, Zucchini, Mashed Potatoes w Gravy / Roll, Apple