Autumn Palette

driveway leaves

 

Autumn is showing herself- leaves are turning various colors and quickly falling to the ground, wind is strong, temperatures are cooling, rain comes often, and the snow geese are back. The yellow, brown, and green of the bigleaf maple leaves brightens even the darkest day. Bigleaf maples are everywhere on the island. In some areas it's like driving through a tunnel of yellow-brown amongst the large trees. Reds and maroons, orange, yellow, and green of the vine maple leaves appear here and there, breaking up the monotony of yellow. The alders never really seem to get into the changing color thing, staying green, turning brown, maybe, and flying away on the wind. The green viburnum leaves are slowly taken over by a light crimson until only the leaf center is a light green. Contrasted by the yellow-blotched green leaves of the mock orange they contribute to the brightening of the yard. Due to the extreme dryness up until a couple of weekends ago, several of the red-flowering currants leaves simply shriveled up and died on the branch. Usually they turn a medium shade of deep red. Ocean spray and osoberry add varying shades of yellow to the palette of Autumn. The few golden cottonwood leaves provide a backdrop for the rest of the palette. As summer wanes I tend to dread the changing season, yet when Autumn arrives I thrive in its beauty and the scent of fresh brown leaves. Like the myriad greens of spring that bring the Earth alive, the colors of Autumn bring the Earth to quiet times, waiting below the surface for the next season to bring change. 

 

"Green leaves

that dawn after dawn

grow yellow,

red cheeks

that fade

with the passing days-

if our world

is made up

of such changes

as these,

is it strange

that my heart

is so sad?"

 

Hsiao Kang