#1256 - Autumn
It's the first day of autumn.
Of all the seasons, this feels like an in-between season.
The harvest that started in summer is still going on, the sun is still warm, and we still spend a lot of time outside.
At the same time, nature begins the long preparation for winter. It is a fascinating process to observe. Thanks to my friend Silvia, a biomimicry coach, I rediscovered the beauty of this process.
Trees feel something is changing - temperatures get lower, and the days get shorter - and they don't want to get caught unprepared by the cold season.
They know that leaves won't survive in winter and will become an unnecessary burden.
It's time for the trees to let the leaves go.
This process is called the abscission of the leaf.
First, the tree recalls from the leaf all the nutrients to store them away for winter. During this process, the leaf changes colours, going from green to yellow, red and brown. Then, the tree creates a thin layer between the branch and the leaf's petiole to protect the first from external agents. And finally, the leaf detaches from the branch and falls. Ready to become part of the soil.
So, I wonder what leaves I must let go of to prepare for the winter season?