Floating Fall Bouquet

After a brief rain shower around 2 pm on October 21, 2010, the sky cleared and a strong wind caused a blizzard of white pine needles and leaves to fall to the ground on our property on River Road in Agawam, MA. Around 3:30 pm, after doing some yard work, I happened to walk by the koi pond in our backyard. The bright, almost horizontal, sunlight illuminated the colorful leaves floating on the surface. The high contrast of the bright colors against the dark water background was striking. I ran to get my camera and took the attached photo.