Darkness Consumes the Day

  Its Autumn, each day there is less and less light to get things done.  The sun is already on the western horizon each day as my work hours finish.  There is a seasonal urgency in the crisp air.  Every passing day more leaves pass through nature's hour glass as they fall to the ground.  We see the passing of light with more reverence, and the night grasps harder as each day passes.    
  As the loss of summer can weigh heavy on our minds, there can be a many great wonders in the coming of autumn.  Through the change in temperature and light brings on a world of changes we experience in the north that just don't happen nearly as drastic in the tropics or even the southern states. The biological triggers; the shorting length of day signals many cues to the natural world around us.
  Light affects us physically and emotionally, it affects plants too.  The science world calls light's affect on plants Phototropism.  Leaves in the presence of light can orientate themselves to achieve higher photosynthesis efficiencies.  Plants grown in the absence of light uses etiolation continue to grow while conserving energy and searching out a light source.  These plants grow pale and thin in hopes of light, and as soon as a source of light is returned the plant begins to green and flourish. Even in the absence of light, a plant knows which way is up.  Gravity, the natural pull of the Earth drives a plant up.  And if the plant can grow against gravity, the only direction is up and light comes from above. 
  In the scope of whole trees, days shorten from the summer solstice through to the winter solstice and the trees take their cues to prepare for winter and bring the wonder of their shows of color.  The oaks around the farm were speaking to me today, perhaps because their leaves tend to persist longer while many other leaves have already hit the ground or that there is enough variety in and texture amongst the oaks to please. 

 

  With all the lessening of the day, a cool fall can come on earlier than a tree is ready for.  A few quick frosts, or one deep freeze can stall the tree's preparation for winter.  Instead of a brilliant show of yellows, oranges and reds a tree's leaves are frosted, green, crispy and left holding on.  The shock of the frost will not kill the tree, the tree will survive, though it just may be a longer winter than expected.

  If anything, with the days shortening... there isn't as much time to wait from the time we wake until the chance to take in the wonder and beauty of a sunset.