The Colors are Changing

Autumn is starting to really make a difference on campus. The leaves are changing colors even faster. It's becoming quite a sight now. As you can tell, and I hope you can, how the leaves in this gigapan are different from my last gigapan. It still looks pretty green though because of some evergreen trees, but some trees are showing a little color or lack of leaves. I think it's gorgeous. Have I told you that autumn is my favorite color? I had a guinea pig named Autumn. People thought I was weird because it was a male. Oh well, he was cute and reminded me of my favorite season.

Isn't he so cute? The alcohol and car and police uniform was all my mom's idea! Not mine! Just wanted to set that straight. 

Time for trees, I think so? Why else would you be reading this? I can't be interesting unless my guinea pig was the key seller. (I knew it!) Anyways, what do you see differently in the trees? Maybe the fact some are definitely missing some leaves. I noticed a tree I didn't identify in the background of everything. Its either a Maple or an Oak tree. In the last photo it had a nice green-yellow color to it. Now, all of its leaves have fallen off. It has a nice effect with the orange tree behind it since you are looking through its naked branches to see the other tree.

Sadly, my Southern Magnolia will forever be green. The leaves don't change unless they get yanked off from winds and plopped onto the ground. I think that qualifies for my Weeping Beech as well. The only I see between the two photos is just how the clouds overhead created a gradient effect over the entire area. See? How the tops of all the trees are darker than the bottom half? That's the clouds overhead. Even the sky is a darker blue than the first. Oh! Look at my Japanese Maples! They are red. Last time, we saw a tiny tinge of red along the edges, but now, both of the trees to be equally red. Doesn't seem like any leaves are going to falling off any time soon for my three trees, but the trees around seem to taken in the fall season spirit. I wonder why my trees aren't as either to loose their leaves as the other trees. Maybe they are still able to gather nutrients from the Earth while the others are just ready to kill their little leaf babies. Oh well, more fun for me and my friends. Its fall time and you know what that means!

Enjoy your fall weather while it lasts. It never hurts to go jumping into a pile of leaves every now and then for old child's sake.

Trees of My Season

Autumn in my favorite season; the best season out of all the seasons. The air becomes crisp and clean. People actually wear clothing for once. Autumn or fall is the best time because the world becomes colorful! The trees, oh the trees, the colors are gorgeous. The normal green that people see about 75% time disappears and becomes all these hues of yellow, red, and orange. Its a great contrast that opens up the imagination. Its a peaceful time of year.

That photo above, its a gigapan. It takes high-definition photos of wide landscapes or whatever you chose. Look at the trees. Soon, this landscape that is my favorite on campus will become so colorful. I'm picking out about three of the trees and attempt to describe them. That's a little later though when I decide to identify them. I currently have about 1 and a half identified. I found a Japanese maple along with some type of magnolia. Don't worry. I'll eventually figure it out.

Although, trees changing colors is so crazy! Why would they do that? I'm not a tree expert so, lets look at online sources that may be able to help me or even notes from my Economic Botany class. Notes that I shall steal from my roommate because my notes look like chicken scratch due to my consistent head-bobbing.

--15 minutes later-- 

After careful consideration, trees changing colors just depends on the tree, and the fact that its getting cold outside. Oh, it could just be leaf senescence. This super complicated sounding science-y stuff. Although science is something that I like to dabble in, so its quite appropriate. This process of senescence is just a nice slow way of killing a part of yourself. In trees, its killing their leaves to live on. Why do trees do this? I guess there are just hungry. The leaves collect nutrients throughout the year. Nutrients which trees are craving when winter starts to roll around. Seems like leaves are just pawns in this giant world of chess for trees. Oh, and the leaves changing colors? Since the tree is actually killing them, the chlorophyll is being killed off as well. No chlorophyll means no green leaves. Carotenoids take over when the chlorophyll goes bye-bye or even anthocyanins. It just depends on if the leaves want to go a orange-yellow (caroteniods) or a nice red-purple (anthocyanins.)
I guess, I better find out about those trees. I did say that I found a Japanese Maple. I feel very proud of myself to have figured that one out so quickly. Don't worry, you don't have to bow down to me although if you would like, go right ahead. No one is stopping you. Anyways, we have the beautiful Japanese Maple that is turning from a crisp green color to a dark reddish color. Even the seeds are red! Now, direct your attention to the gigapan. The Japanese Maple is located in the middle of the photo with nicely, trimmed hedges on either side. Oh and, there is two of the trees. So it looks like this: nice, trimmed hedge -> Japanese Maple -> open area -> Japanese Maple -> nice, trimmed hedge. That's simple enough, right?

--Sits and views the magnolia leaf closely and in detail--

This magnolia is a Southern Magnolia. We have a ton of magnolias on campus which is pretty crazy. Although I think this one dominates over the others. Although my favorite area of campus tends to only have the Southern Magnolia so maybe I could be bias to its population on campus. Oh well, I am only a first-year, and I still got some exploring around to do. The Southern Magnolia is located on either side of each Japanese Maple. To the gigapan: just follow earlier instructions on finding the Japanese Maples and then look even further out to the sides. TaDA!!! You have found the tree! Now, for my third tree, I must go back out and examine the actual tree because my super, duper hand LeafSnapHD app did not work in helping me identifying this tree. "CHARGE! Remember the Alamo!!" (My impression of Teddy Brewster from Arsenic and Old Lace. Just imagine me running down a hill though and not up the stairs.)

-The next day before Chemistry Class--

I have received word that I have found a Weeping Beech. I didn't find it like a discovery type of find. I just found out its actual name. To my dismay, it is not a type of Willow tree! Which explains why my tree app could not identify it due to my stupidity. Anywho, this tree is located on the far right side of the gigapan. You should see my friend walking down a path, so the tree that is HUGE and directly behind her is the Weeping Beech. Which I might add is one amazing tree. Perfect for climbing about and scaring people. An act in which I preformed yesterday cause all the girls still had their men on campus, so I decided to scare them when they walked by. Campus is such a beautiful place to mess with people.

I hope you enjoyed my little journey among trees, and my attempts at humor. Until next time!










Hanna. "How Trees Get Naked – Leaf Senescence And Why Leaves Fall Off A Tree." Web log post. This Garden Is Illegal. N.p., 4 Nov. 2007. Web. 30 Sept. 2012. <http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2007/11/how-trees-get-naked-leaf-senescence-and-why-leaves-fall-off-a-tree.html>.