Saturday, October 24, 2009

Nature will always surprise you

Even when you are keeping a close eye on nature, it surprises you. All around me trees have been bursting into orange and red flames the past couple of weeks.





But the tree I have been tracking the progress of
every day -- taking its photo, carefully observing for a change in color -- was staying resolutely green.



It sounds ridiculous, but I was almost getting frustrated that it seemed unwilling to surrender to the fall. I was beginning to get less enthusiastic about going out and looking at it. And then yesterday I walked up, and in front of me, seemingly overnight, the tree was light yellow. It didn't happen in patches; it didn't happen gradually. All of a sudden, the whole tree was noticeably changed.

And now look at it today, brightening into buttercup yellow. To someone walking along for the first time, it would be a different tree to the one it was only a few days ago. The changes that transformed this living thing were imperceptible to my eye in their increments, but they were happening nonetheless -- just like they are no doubt happening to you and me, under our own radar, but still day by day turning us into some new version of ourselves.

1 comment:

  1. It's been quite awhile since I've been on your blog. Remember the other day on our walk I had mention that the Goldfinches had flown the coup a couple of months ago. Well, I got one back today! Beautiful male first yearling. I hope he returns with many friends.

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