Not the greatest weather to wake up to

The folks in Ridgway say August was unusually wet. Now it's September and it rained most of last night.

The morning has been gloomy with low clouds draped artistically in the ravines and over the mountains.

I heard somewhere that it takes the right combination of sunny days and chilly nights for leaves to change to their brightest colors. Otherwise, they become brownish, or just drop from the trees.

So my preference for sunshine isn't just that it makes it easier for me to get out of bed and start functioning. It's for the sake of all the aspens, cottonwoods and oaks around here. I want them to look their best. Really, it's not about me.