Fall colors and projects

Larry Wilson is out of town for a while, so this column was submitted by a friendly ghostwriter up the North Fork.

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The calendar may have said that fall was here last week, but you certainly wouldn’t have known it. Instead of cool, crisp days, we had warm, almost hot weather and mostly clear skies. If I had told anyone that the North Fork had snow on the ground several weeks ago, they wouldn’t have believed me. Such is weather on the North Fork.

Many North Forkers do not go to town just for “fun” but because they have business or appointments, shopping or a garbage run to make. The beautiful fall colors we’re having right now, though, make a trip to town well worth the miles, whatever the reason for the trip.

The cottonwoods and aspens are bright yellow and gold, with leaves just now starting to fall, carpeting the edges of the road. The larches are just now starting to turn at the lower elevations, but are bands of gold across the mountains at higher elevations. It’s a photographer’s dream.

North Forkers continue to get their wood in for the winter and finish up construction projects. Latest work at the Sondreson Community Hall included the reinstallation of the woodstove on the new tile floor and replacing the siding on the back of the building.

The back porch roof now has metal on, and there are plans to build a ramp off the back porch. Thanks to the folks who have volunteered for these workdays and put in long hours of hard work — not to mention donating tools, equipment and materials for these projects.

The last church service for the season has been held, and I was told the churchgoers were especially happy about the working woodstove.

Residents of Trail Creek are also very happy — a long yellow-bellied road grader, thought to be an endangered species, was spotted in action Saturday, grading Trail Creek Road. The road is now a real pleasure to drive, and the grading much appreciated by all. The grader was last seen parked at the Tepee Lake junction.

As the days get shorter, so has the calendar of North Fork Landowners Association social events. The last meeting of the association will be Saturday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. Bring a snack to share after the meeting.