Earlier this week, at Christie Hoffman Park in Tewksbury, I noticed that one branch of a Nyssa sylvatica had turned to the brilliant red for which the tree is renown. Further, I thought I noticed a slight change in color of some sugar maples lining a driveway just down the road from my property.

I bet it has something to do with the lack of rain.

Up here in the northern part of the state, we've had plenty of rain.

Down south here were getting nothing. Dry as a bone.