October may be the spooky season, but September is emo in the Chugach National Forest. The landscape takes on a darker, more introspective tone. Everything becomes adorned in dark colors, the sun shows itself less and less every day, and the scent of fermentation and decay fills your nose. Blood red reigns over the dwarf resin birch leaves, a striking contrast against the darkening landscape. The fireweed transforms from red to maroon to a brown so deep that it almost appears black, with a captivating, fiery center. The once pure white yarrow takes on a new dark persona, claiming, “It’s not a phase, Mom.” Though seeming ghostly as it hangs after the consistent rains, the soggy cottongrass adds an ethereal beauty to the red and brown autumn muskeg. In its final act, False hellebore is bored of it all and dramatically falls to the ground, taking its neighbors with it. The once vibrant green sphagnum moss dons its red dress for September, a stunning transformation amid decay.
Clouds shroud the sky in gloom. Fog rolls through the mountains, engulfing you in its blanket of comfort. Bright reds and oranges glow from the few sunsets and sunrises you witness. Mushrooms appear in immense volumes as their mycelium works to decompose the organisms that weren’t metal enough to survive the changing season. Salmon move slowly in the streams, taking their last breath as their friends rot around them.
Yet, amidst all the death and decay, some seasonal species persist with a stubborn resilience. Even though the snow is imminent, many graminoid species seeds are taking their time ripening, staying green even as their leaves brown. Their green rebellion is the most punk of all. Inconvenient for a seed collector? Yes. An admirable and inspiring message to go against the norm regardless of the world’s pressures? Also yes.
Move over October. September, ruled by the colors black and red and the spectrum between them, is the most emo month I know. Green Day might say to wake them up when September Ends, but I was an emo kid. Keep me up until September ends.
