Golden Leaves

When I picture the quintessential image of beauty of my wife, Dylan, it’s this song which makes that image even stronger. Back in October of 1998, we took a backpacking trip into the Presidential range of New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. Being October in New England, we were all set to catch the tail end of Fall. However, what we experienced was the front end of Winter: 15 degree temperatures and 8 fresh inches of snow. I guess you can say that tenting at 3,500 feet is not the safest thing to do under these circumstances. The following day – which was sunny and 40 degrees - as we were traversing the ridge line and heading down from the summit of Carter Dome towards a riverside shelter, Dylan was walking about 20 feet in front of me. Due to the new snow covering the freshly fallen leaves over the slick trail, Dylan was dragging her feet in her best efforts to keep her balance. What she ended up doing was turning up enough snow to leave a trail of freshly fallen golden leaves behind her. It was one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever witnessed.

"Golden Leaves"

Been a while since I've seen that smile looks like way back when
Real presence of love within
Hold myself together a shiver takes my skin
Two smiles upon the wind

Taking life real slow
Gonna fly within our souls

Don't you know you leave a trail of golden leaves where you go
Walking down this mountain through the snow
The sun shines upon your smile wherever you may roam
A trail of golden leaves you leave don't you know

I'm always thinking I always need a pen
To capture these emotions of love within
Silver birches all around alive since way back when
Our love is flowing beneath them in your arms again
Taking life real slow
Gonna fly within our souls

Don't you know you leave a trail of golden leaves where you go
Walking down this mountain through the snow
The sun shines upon your smile wherever you may roam
A trail of golden leaves you leave don't you know

A trail of golden leaves you leave don't you know