Friday, October 29, 2010

Fall Color in Shaker Heights, Ohio


Red Ivy in the Forest
I heard on public radio the other morning that only about 3% of the Earth experiences Fall Color.  I looked on line and found that indeed only 7% of the land on earth is in the temperate zone and this is the only zone in which we are able to experience the changing colors of the Autumn leaves.  Deciduous plants that lose their leaves in the cold season of the year, and then grow them back in the warm season, cover about 3% of the earth.  For all of my friends in the tropical regions, in the desserts and above the tree line, I have taken pictures of the deciduous trees of Shaker Heights, Ohio, as a taste of Autumn in the midwestern U.S.  This beautiful explosion of color will only last about 2 weeks.  The leaves will eventually turn brown and blow off of the trees.  We will rake the leaves into large piles that our children like to jump and play in.  Every week during this time a big truck with a large vacuum will come and suck up all the leaves and take them away. The trees are dark and naked all winter long, but in the spring most of the trees will grow fresh bright green leaves again.
Leaves on the Water
Lower Shaker Lake, Autumn
Deciduous Forest
The Red Carpet
Pink and Green Leaves
Ornamental Shrubs and Trees
Yellow, Red and Green Leaves
Yellow and Red Leaves
Woodbury Elementary School, Autumn
Orange Leaves
Orange and Red Leaves
Red, Yellow, Pink and Orange Leaves
Pinkish Orange Ivy
Red, Yellow and Green Ivy

15 comments:

  1. they are so colorful. We hardly get any color here. The chinese tallows will turn if we get a cold snap before they lose all their leaves. they will become red and yellow and orange and all three colors on one leaf.

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  2. Thanks for the view of your fall colors. I especially love the "Leaves on the Water" photo. Such a fine variety of kinds and colors in such a random but beautiful arrangement! I am truly jealous of your autumn. The trees do change and drop leaves here. But deciduous trees that survive at this altitude mostly go to the yellows. Two years ago I planted an Autumn Blaze maple that really puts on a show even it's small. Happy weekend!

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  3. Wonderful photographs - and great information about what we can take so for-granted. We are blessed to enjoy this amazing display of colour and radiance every year.

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  4. Fascinating. I never knew that. The turning of the leaves is my absolute favorite season. Every time I go out I pause to enjoy the beauty and the quickly passing changes. How easily we take it for granted. The pictures are wonderful.

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  5. I'm very jealous of the fall colors you are getting. We have a nice combination of green, dull yellow and Brown. Overall it's pretty blah.

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  6. Wonderful autumnal shots. We have that red Virginia Creeper growing up almost everything in my little neck of the woods. It's so pretty this time of year.

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  7. Beautiful! I lived in a four seasons area for about 6 years total and I do miss autumn. Your beautiful photos bring back that scent, that texture.

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  8. I love autumn! I'm not sure I could be happy without the four seasons. The color, the snap in the air, pumpkins and dried corn stalks, a signal that white is not far off. Love it. Thanks for sharing a picture of your neck of the woods.

    I had no idea that so little of the earth has fall color.

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  9. The one with the leaves on the water is just magical. I love the different seasons is the year. Couln't go without them. We are in spring now and the colours are just stunning

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  10. butternut - thankyou for sharing the beauty of your area here. gifts!!! blessings in little spaces. our leaves have almost all fallen now and so the transition continues on the ground. no matter - it's incredible. steven

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  11. Indeed, a temperate autumn trumps the tropical this time of year. Wonderful shots.

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  12. Such spectacular colors we are afforded in this area of the country !
    Your pictures show the true beauty of Autumn, thank you for sharing with us ;)

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  13. A truly fabulous series..love the pinkish ivy!! This is a link http://inthepacific.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-campers-pt-2.html
    to where we fit into that 3%..if you scroll a little you can see my youngest son standing below a tree in November holding a bag of apples. We experience seasons but its more dramatic with snow in the higher elevations though..all your photos are stunning-

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  14. I was wondering what kind of tree or bush is pictured in the photo titled, "Pink and Green Leaves".

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  15. I remember that it was a type of bush or shrub, but I really couldn't tell you the name. My apologies.

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