There is some subtle signal in the decreasing length of days, and the falling temperatures. Something tells the trees it is time. Though they have made a huge investment of nutrients and energy in their leaves, they need to close these thousands of miniature factories down.

The first priority is to withdraw valuable chemicals, especially chlorophyll. These precious resources for next year are taken back into the twigs, the branches, the trunk, and even the roots. The removal of chlorophyll, which has overwhelmed the leaves with its green, lets remaining beautiful pigments have their day. The leaves turn golden, red, yellowóthe spectacular colors of fall.

Having jettisoned the conforming green, the trees are now showing their ëtrue colorsí.

As the process continues, the chemicals responsible for these bright colors also break down, and the leaves turn brown.

All the while, the tree is preparing to sever its ties. It must get rid of these leavesótheir cells are too fragile to withstand winter temperatures, and they catch violent winds. The storms of winter would rip through these thousands of little flags, snapping branches that have lost flexibility in the cold. In self-defense, the tree slowly forms a segment of dead, brittle cells called the abcission layer, at the base of each leaf stem. When this layer is complete, circulation is cut off. The leaf is poised to fall with any slight breeze, or even in response to the gentle tug of gravity.

There are times when we have to let something go. It may be something in which we have invested precious time and energyósomething that has even become a part of us. It would be wonderful if we could do this as gracefully, as gently, as we see it done by these beautiful neighbors.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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