A dirt footpath curls along the shore of a still blue lake at the height of fall color. Scarlet maples arch overhead on the left, a branch of golden leaves reaches in from the right, and drifts of violet wild asters and orange blossoms spill down toward the water.

Low, golden sunlight rakes across the scene, throwing soft violet shadows over the path and setting the reflections on the lake aglow. Across the water a pine-covered point and hazy hills fade into a pale, warm sky.

The picture is built from thick palette-knife strokes and loose dabs of oil paint, with visible ridges in the leaves and flowers and softer, smoother passages in the sky and water. The mood is warm, calm and nostalgic.