Falling Foliage

The feel of autumn is everywhere. Sudden coolness has swept the air, the leaves are now changing to shades of yellow and copper, and the students are pulling out their fleece sweatshirts from the bottom of their closets. \nSophomore Robyn Jordan, who is from San Diego, has enjoyed the changing seasons in Bloomington.\n"I came to Indiana because I wanted a change of weather, and besides the rain, I think that fall is a great season," she said. "(It's) full of color and change. I love it." \nThis past week the trees have changed significantly adding to the beauty of campus. Around Ballantine Hall leaves have begun to fall, and as students walk from class to class, the crunch can be clearly heard.\nJunior Kelli Gaston said she likes walking through Dunn Meadow during the fall. \n"I like the fall best because it's not too cold and not too hot," she said. "It's pretty around this time."\nNow that autumn has arrived, some students choose to stay indoors and avoid the cool breezes, but this temperate weather is unique in Bloomington and the surrounding counties. \nTosha Daugherty, spokeswoman for the Bloomington Visitors Bureau, said fall is great chance for visitors and Bloomington residents to enjoy the beauty of this area. \nDaugherty recommended visiting Dillman Farms, 4955 W. State Road 45, to taste homemade jams and to try the newly added frozen custard and fudge. She also recommended driving to Freeman Family Farms, 6220 S. Victor Pike, to pick a pumpkin or walk through the corn maze, which is open until dark. \nAnother prime fall spot in Bloomington is Musgrave Orchard on North Old State Road 37, which has received Indiana's Best Cider award. It is open 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.\nAllie Rattet, a sophomore from Westlake Village, Calif., is especially fond of the changing leaves. In Southern California, the leaves don't change, so it was quite a shock for her when fall came last year. Rattet said she walked through campus and took three rolls worth of pictures last fall.\n"No one really appreciates the leaves because they're so used to (them changing)," she said. "When they're with me, they learn to appreciate it." \nOn campus, the IU Physical Plant staff began to prepare for fall last week with leaf removal, said Michael Schrader, assistant manager of campus division. By Thanksgiving, the staff will have the grass areas cleaned of leaves. \nThey are also finishing planting chrysanthemums. The planting started at the end of August in order to make the campus and Homecoming parade route look its best, and the mums should be in full bloom by then.\n"For Homecoming, we try to have the campus look as nice as possible," Schrader said.\nFreshman Madeleine Alexeeva from Minnesota has enjoyed fall at IU so far. \n"In Minnesota, the fall is drawn out, here the fall just happens and takes you by surprise. It's really beautiful," she said. \nMonday, she picked up a "fire-red" leaf to save as a memory from her first fall at IU.\n"The leaves are so beautiful, I don't know how to describe it," Rattet said. "It makes IU a place I want to be."\n-- Contact staff writer Christine Lunde at clunde@indiana.edu.