Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Leaves Falling in the Spring?

Here in Pensacola, FL many of the leaves fall from the trees in the spring, not in the fall. Huh? I was mentioning this to my husband a few days ago and he had never noticed this phenomenon. I couldn't believe it! How could he drive around all day every day and not notice that dead leaves were steadily falling from the trees, mostly oak, collecting in the ditches and along the roadsides. If he didn't notice all of that activity in the natural world, how much more was he missing? I thought everybody noticed these kinds of things, but using my husband as prime example #1, I guess I was wrong in my assumption.

Maybe you're also one of those folks that hasn't noticed that we have leaves falling in the spring. So, let me explain this phenomenon. Here in Pensacola our fall and winter seasons aren't sufficiently cold enough to completely kill all of the leaves. So, in the spring as the new growth sprouts forth on those trees the old leaves are literally pushed off to make room for the new growth. That is why, here in Pensacola, we have the pleasure of raking leaves both in the fall and in the spring. Got it?

Now I leave you with this question - if you haven't noticed this what else may be going on that you have missed? A beautiful flower, a new bird's nest in the tree near your bedroom window, bumblebees buzzing around the daffodils? Little miracles all around you and you may not have even noticed...

1 comment:

Unknown said...

When the water oaks start shedding, that's when I know spring is definitely arriving. And then, a month or so later, the live oaks drop their old leaves, too.

My MIL was visiting one spring, took a stroll in the front yard and hurried back inside to tell me my trees were dying...they were losing their leaves. I tried to explain, but I don't think she believed me....