Do the falling leaves of autumn send your spirits tumbling as well? Doctors call this Seasonal Affective Disorder. I have talked with numerous people who complain about getting the blues when winter approaches. Personally, I embrace fall like the return of a dear old friend. I love it. Autumn is my favorite season. What about you?

North Carolina’s mountain valleys are still vibrant with autumnal colors but the hues are beginning to fade. I traveled the Blue Ridge Parkway Sunday from near Roaring Gap down to US 421 just outside Boone Sunday. What a treat! I’ve attached several of the photographs I took along the way and from Saturday at Cumberland Know. Special thanks to my patient wife, Cindy, for putting up with all of my stopping, staring and starting again.

Thank you for submitting your favorite fall color photographs over the last few weeks. We still have some fine foliage to follow around here in the coming couple of weeks.

Drum roll, please. Our judges were “blown away” by the quality of titles for Monday’s mountain mist photograph. Thank you for participating. After excruciating deliberations our panel has declared NCCaniac the winner for the title “Celestial Fire.” Will the winner please contact me at bleslie@wral.com so we can arrange a suitable prize? Thank you.