Fall's Sadness - Nature Observation

When I reminisce upon my experiences with the season of fall, I find myself jumping into beautiful golden leaves, running through a bright orange pumpkin patch, or walking around my neighborhood that has slowly changed to an array of red, orange, and yellow. The pattern here being the vibrant colors that come to mind along with the cool air.

            While I walked around campus for my nature observation, it became clear to me that this area of Texas at least at TCU experiences late fall and early winter a different way. The two photos above me brought this to my attention. First, the tree possesses an eerie feel. It has not lost any trees whatsoever; however, the leaves look like they are death’s doorstep. They have lost their light greenish tone to be replaced with a dark green that seems to be frozen over. They almost look as if they are hibernating like an animal waiting out the rest of the cold season.

            Next, I looked towards the base of the tree to take in any of the leaves that had fallen. In my experience, the leaves of fall have these bright colors that are vivid amidst the green grass. A stark juxtaposition between the two colors. The leaves here were a completely different story. They were a dark grey that covered the slowly dying grass.

            My time walking TCU’s campus and seeing how different environments experience fall was a strong reminder that there is a level of loss that fall brings about when it comes to nature. The trees prepare for the brutal winter ahead by shedding any leaves, leaving the tree at its barest form of its trunk, branches, and bark. While the traditional colors of fall might bring about a sense of awe and beautifulness, there is no hiding the loss and death the falls bring about as well.