In case you may not know, leaves don’t just fall from trees they get booted off. Here is an interesting article on why a tree cuts them loose. The leaves supply food for the tree and once that has ended they will provide a source of food with their decomposition, returning nutrients to the soil. These nutrients can then be taken up by the roots of living plants enabling them to grow and develop.
This leaf did not make it to the forest floor, it landed on one of the boardwalks at Inniswood Gardens. There it will be picked by the winds of nature and dance with other leaves finding it’s place in the vital ecosystem it belongs in. It’s all part of the system.
6 Comments
Earl
Monte, I like that there are limited colors in this photo…only shades of brown and black (grey). This gives a simplicity that adds to its impact.
Monte Stevens
@Earl: Thanks, that’s what I saw. I am pulled to the simple, I just want to present it with the impact you mention.
Don
I wanted to come up with something witty about the leaf not falling through the cracks.
Anita Jesse
The story behind the image provides another level of appreciation. Now, the leaf feels momentarily lost. I like the reminder that the wind will send the leaf “dancing” to its proper resting place where it can play its part in the story.
QPB
Just catching up here–I also love the simplicity of this Monte. Not just the fact that there is a singular focus, but the colors are very neutral and, for whatever reason, quite appealing. Warm and homey, perhaps.
Mark
I thought that was a great story on NPR. Everything in nature seems to happen with a purpose, only limited by our ability to understand it.
I like the simplicity of this shot also. Leaves are a favorite subject of mine.