It’s the time of the year where fall feels like it’s coming to a close and that winter is nipping at our doorway.  There have been a few light snowfalls that have quickly melted. Frost is no longer a surprise in the morning. And most of the beautiful fall leaves have fallen.

I love fall – the colours, temperature, food, and so much more.  The conclusion of fall is often kind of grey and has a dull feeling to it.  But it is also the time of year that the tamarack trees start to change colour.  Prior to moving up to Northern Ontario I didn’t know a whole lot about tamaracks.  But they are kind of a neat tree.

Tamaracks are deciduous conifers – which I didn’t even know existed.  They have needles and cones but their needles change colour and they shed them in the fall.  Their needles are amazingly soft and delicate to the touch in the spring and summer.  Tamaracks tend to be on the smaller side growing to be around 15 meters tall.  They are apparently part of the larch family — which just makes me think of the Monty Python Flying Circus episode that repeatedly features the larch tree.

At this time of year the tamaracks have changed to a vibrant yellow and provide appreciated pop of colour amongst the grey landscape.