Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Fall Fascination


Fall is a never ending source of pleasure for me. Every day there is another beautiful tree or view to see. The traditional view that I carry in my mind is the "Perfect Tree". You know the one. It is a gorgeous gold, a flaming orange, or a red so deep and smooth you would expect to reach out and touch velvet.

Mother Nature's paint brush is always exquisite. The pictures from my childhood are of Connecticut hillsides ablaze in all the fall shades, from bright yellow, to burnt orange, to deep red. It wasn't until I returned to Pittsburgh that I began to appreciate the richness that is added when the late changers add their green to the palette.

But there are times when Mother Nature leaves me perplexed...or at least curious about the collage of color that I see. For instance, why is one mountain top green at the top and in full color at the bottom...but the very next hillside is green at the bottom and in full color at the top?

Why have all the maples on one side of my street changed, AND lost their leaves, but the other side is still green?

Most of the maples around here have a very even leaf loss.


What's up with this one??







Why do some trees seem to change from the inside out? Or from the top down?






I know that there are scientific explanations for each of these questions. I can even guess at some of them. But after I saw this tree next to a small country church, I decided, Maybe God just wants to remind us He created this world and He is still in charge.



4 comments:

  1. These pictures are beautiful! I wish I was able to see some of this. In Florida, we've been in the 90's all week with a "cool down" coming on Friday! It is supposed to be a high of 81! :) Hopefully, we will have a very pleasant weekend. Enjoy all the color!

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  2. It is special. In may last post I commented on how cold it was at the pumpkin patch. One of the workers mentioned today that someone had said what beautiful weather we had been having and we all just looked at each other. Obviously the view depended on whether you were doing errands, or sitting outside all afternoon! Good luck on your cool down. Anything under 90 is welcome in Florida by this time of year! LOL

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  3. My yardstick for "perfect fall color" is Connecticut! Do you remember when you picked me up at Lycoming (you came up from Shippensburg) and the two of us took a whirlwind trip to Connecticut for the weekend? It was at the height of the fall season, and I *still* have in my mind's eye the trees -- and this one orange / yellow tree in particular. All other fall experiences are compared to this!

    Love your "odd foliage" pictures. Great finds! There's no logical reason for some of how the leaves have changed - and fallen off! They are unique and gorgeous.

    Our height of the season is probably next week here on eastern Long Island. I hope to do a few photography jaunts as the days go on.

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  4. I had forgotten that trip. I loved Connecticut in the fall. I remember 'swimming' in the pond with Mom on the last weekend of the year when we closed up the cabins. Trees in full display, and ice cold mountain stream water. "Swimming" is an exageration. It was a quick jump in and a fast swim OUT!

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