Oops I forgot to say the puffs of flowers are BRIGHT RED.. :)

Could you be seeing crepe myrtles? Really it is impossible to know without a picture, but I suggest this because my husband always has a similar reaction on seeing crepe myrtles, and never remembers what they are called. They are quite popular, so would be all over town. :)

If I remember correctly, the foliage does turn in this part of the country in fall (I'm 7a)

Maybe a variety of smoke tree (Cotinus)? Leaves don't really look like maple though and I'm not sure what time of year they bloom.

Clerodendrum bungei ? Flower buds are red, then flowers are pink.
link below is a variegated form.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Nope, not a crepe myrtle (I have those), nor a smoke tree, no clerodendrum.

With the help of some gardening friends on facebook, I found it!! It's a castor oil plant! What I thought were red flowers were red seedpods.

Ricinus communis?

Yes! That's exactly it. :)

Oh - you got it just as I was posting! I'm going to give myself the point all the same ;-)

floral uk >> you absolutely deserve a point for that one!