NOVEMBER 6, 2010 WHY LEAVES FALL TO THE GROUND

" Say what you mean and act how you feel, because those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter." --Dr Seuss

Thanks Karen

Now how can you argue with Dr. Seuss!! I love Dr. Seuss. Today I am acting like a kid. Cutting branches in the mud, black boots (designer: Marc Jacobs )and the cold ,wet weather. I am having fun while learning. I have jeans covered in mud I don't mind -why should you ? Probably not a good example. An example: Acting silly and saying what's on my mind at a party shouldn't be a problem. For one I know I won't be drunk. If people mind what I am saying and acting silly, I know for those that mind what I am saying really--do not matter to me. In the freezer- he/she go.
Be who you want to be. It is your life. If you are acting or saying something to actively harm someone--check your motives.



It is Fall. Do you feel depressed? Is the weather dismal? What is beautiful about this time of the year. The silhouettes of trees are beuatiful. This is when all the leaves are off the trees. Look outside your window. Do you see a silhouette of the trees. I am learning to identify trees. It seemed difficult at first, but the more and more we learn and 'key' out trees the easier it gets. It is new for me and exciting. I never thought I would say identifying trees is exciting, but it is.
All plants lose their leaves. Even the wind blowing the leaves off trees is beautiful. Nature is amazing. I found out that the Ginkgo tree loses all its leaves in one day. I find that fascinating. Did you ever wonder why leaves fall off trees? It is NOT the cold, as cold is reasonable for most plant. Leaves fall off drys to prevent dessication. To prevent drying out.
Around this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, as the days grow shorter and colder, those changes trigger a hormone in leaf-dropping trees that sends a chemical message to every leaf that says, in essence, "Time to go! " It is time to drop to the ground"
Once the message is received, little cells appear at the place where the leaf stem meets the branch. They are called "abscission" cells. They have the same root as the word scissors, meaning they are designed, like scissors, to make a cut.
These cell layter is waxy. The leaves and branches also fall off to prevent breakage when the leaves get ice and snow. It is because of the weight. Leaves know this so it is better to fall now rather than when the weather gets too bad. Some trees hold onto their leaves all winter long. These are oaks and beach trees. The Ash tree has its leaves last to grow on and the last to fall off. The easiest way to differentiate trees is grouping them by opposite leaves and branches opposed to alternative leaves and branches. Those that are opposite are the Maple, the Ash, the Dogwood, the Elders, and the Horse Chestnut. The rest on the Northeast would be alternate leaves and branches. This would be the Beech and Oak.
In the book, Extreme Weather, the deep freeze of 1935-6 caused the elimination of growing Hops in Upstate New York. It as more than 5 days of weather below 20 degrees that wiped out the Hops Agricultural Industry.

Can youi tell that I am having a good, serene time.
Until tomorrow...