Gone for another year...

   It is a rare thing to find a lovely, "fall-colored" tree during the first few months of autumn around here.  We have to wait until late November before getting much color on our leaves.  Then, the hickory trees are in their full glory.  The bright orange leaves glow like embers in a winter fire when the setting sun hits them.  Folks stand in awe of the 60+ ft trees with their golden leaves wafting in the bay breeze.  This lets us know that summer has ended...for certain...and winter (or at least a semblance of the season) is nigh.  These glorious trees are our "fall colors" as we pretty much do not have any others that are native to the area.

  I was fortunate to notice that the hickory tree in the front yard was putting on quite a show with its fall attire.  Two days ago, I took the time to photograph the tree as the setting sun filtered through the leaves.  Ahh, beautiful!  Satisfied that I had my pictures for the season, I turned the thoughts elsewhere.  Now, two days later, I am happy that I took the time to admire the tree.  

  Severe weather set in last night complete with torrential rains and high winds.  While it made for good sleeping weather for me, the tree did not fare so well.  This morning, all of those lovely leaves are on the ground and in Puddle Pond.  Nary a one hangs on the twigs of the tree.  The hickory tree now looks barren such as one would find during the bleak days of winter.  The ground, on the other hand, is golden...and what a mess!  The next few days will find me cleaning the pond and grinding the leaves for mulch.  My beautiful fall tree is gone until next year.

"Fall"ing into Winter

   This far south, we rarely get the beautiful "fall colors" that our neighbors to the north do.  The cypress trees turn a golden brown but with emphasis on the brown.  Tallow trees and gum trees do change but they start that in late summer and most of the leaves drop as soon as they turn.  Hickories, on the other hand, are our bit of color even though it comes in December.  It would be grand if the leaves changed to a lovely shade of red in keeping with the seasonal spirit but they turn orange...bright orange...then drop.  They drop everywhere.  By tomorrow, I will be knee-deep in orange.  This drop will happen with the coming rain and wind that is expected overnight.  The rains will last for the next four to five days.  While I am grateful for the rain on the garden, I am not looking forward to dealing with a ton of soggy leaves.

  To be honest, I was not even fully aware that the hickory trees were in their glory until my brother commented on the huge tree that stands in my front yard.  "Boy!  That hickory tree is pretty!"  I had to agree when I looked up.  Yep, that thing was literally glowing in the rays of the late afternoon sun.  Wow!  I am glad he called my attention to it because with the incoming foul weather, it would have come and gone without my noticing.  Hickory trees!  Our fall color makers that wait until December.

Mother Nature Knows How To Relieve Stress

  We do not get much "fall color" down here in the Deep South.  Oh, we have color but it is mainly green..and..brown.  The beautiful show of leaves changing through the color spectrum before they drop from trees is not a thing we often observe so when we do see an orange leaf, we rejoice!  This fall color change receives the same emotion as a snowflake here..even though, our "snowflakes" are usually in the form of sleet so are actually ice...not snow.  Still, we are overjoyed with whatever tiny bit of season change we are granted.

  This afternoon, Mark and I took a leisurely stroll about the property.  We ended up on the pier (as usual) and sat to just enjoy our time.  When I panned the area, my heart fluttered a bit when I noticed COLOR!  On the western shore, just beyond my brother's pier, the cypress trees were about to lose their needles.  The trees were a rather rusty orange and contrasted well against the green of the pines. (Yes, we have the type of deciduous cypress trees that lose their needles during the late fall/early winter.)  To boot, there were a few black gum trees showing their deep maroon colors. This color change was an exciting event!  Ok, maybe not but it did brighten the day a bit.

  The changing colors gives us a lift emotionally whether we wish to admit it or not.  While the visual impact can be stimulating, just being outside to enjoy the beauty gives us the fresh air to cleanse the mind.  Our brains need the clearing of clutter especially during stressful times.  We need the stimulus to break free from the survival mode that we pull around ourselves as we cope with whatever life throws at us.  Letting the brain rejuvenate allows us to "live" our lives and not just survive our daily hardships.  With that in mind, go out and find your own "colors" whether they come in the form of leaves, flowers or even a pretty sunset.  Free the mind of troubles and live.  Mother Nature is there to help.