Two years ago I visited this yellow tree overlooking the vineyards in the South Okanagan and came away pleased with what I found. This weekend I visited again, curious to see if lightning could strike twice.
As always I was amazed how different a place can be from year to year. Bright grape leaves had been replaced by bare, brown vines. A tree positively afire with yellow leaves was diminished, though still attractive. Most of this was timing — had I visited a week earlier it would have been different. Even a day can make a difference once the temperatures dip and the strong November winds begin to blow.
Yet comparison is the thief of joy, as someone wise said. Better to appreciate what we have than diminish it by forever reminiscing about “the one that got away.”