Flaming Tree on an Autumn Morning

Up early a few days ago on a brilliant autumn morning, I noticed one of our sweet gum trees ablaze with the sunrise. It looked like a torch against the blue sky all lit up with the morning rays.

The curious thing about this tree is that it still has most of its leaves. You can see in the photo there are similar trees on either side of it that have lost all but a few of their leaves. Three trees…all the same kind….all planted at the same time…..one decides to keep its leaves. Curious.

“The autumn leaf which glows gold or red, has in it only the material which the tree can no longer use. It is a mistake to believe that the frost causes the brilliant colors of autumn foliage, they are caused by the natural old age and death of the leaves-and where is there to be found old age and death more beautiful? When the leaf assumes its bright colors, it is making ready to depart from the tree; a thin, corky layer is being developed between the petiole and the twig, and when this is perfected,  the leaf drops from its own weight or the touch of  the slightest breeze.”
Handbook of Nature Study, page 622

Here is another tree that is planted on the side of our house and it is amazingly tall and colorful. The birds like to sit in this tree and sing in the summer time but now they are mostly gone.

I spotted a house sparrow in this tree off the side of our deck. The sparrows are regular visitors to our feeders and stick around the whole year. This one seemed to be enjoying the sunrise.

I enjoy a good sunrise myself.