looking for leaves

We took my husband's little car for a ride in search of fall color this weekend and we found it! However we are not at peak yet, many maples are still green, so we will have to venture out again in a few days.  We drove through the beautiful Chagrin Valley that we are so lucky to live in. The village of Hunting Valley has beautiful horse farms/estates with expansive views and beautiful barns. 

Hunting Valley

Most of these shots were taken while we were driving so are a bit blurry, used my iphone.

Lots of green still...

This area looks like New England for a reason. It is part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, a large area that was reserved for Connecticut Revolutionary soldiers. They settled the towns near us and explains the Federal, Greek Revival and Georgian  architecture and planned central village greens. The charming village of Gates Mills was settled in 1826 along the Chagrin River. Most historic homes and businesses in Gates Mills are Federal and have white siding with black shutters. This aesthetic typifies Western Reserve style. 

At the end of the street is the Chagrin Valley Hunt and Polo Club in the village of Gates Mills, there is a polo field behind the clubhouse with barns and kennels and a pretty canopied covered terrace overlooking a tributary of the Chagrin River.

Chagrin River in Gates Mills.... the green space on the left bank belongs to  St. Christopher's by the River church. They offer Adirondack chairs along the river to relax. 

The picture perfect  St. Christopher's by the River, the Chagrin River is behind the church. Isn't it so pretty in the fall?

A perfect day for a walk or a bike ride..

We then headed to one of favorite hikes along the Chagrin River.

Look at the hardy soul in the water! In the summer you can usually find a Great Blue Heron standing on the first ledge catching fish as they float down the falls. Today there was a brave guy instead. He left his clothes and towel on the trail, we felt like taking them and running away but decided we are too old to have such thoughts.

 Along this part of the Chagrin River, a local man named Henry Church carved a huge boulder of sandstone in 1880. 

No one knows the meaning of the images carved into Squaw Rock. There is a mermaid with a shell, a backpack of arrows, a giant snake, a dog, a skeleton and a baby in a papoose.

stylish serendipity photos

Make some time and check out the fall color in your area, it will be over before we know it and then hibernation starts....yuck.