Autumn Expressions!

The blustery autumn breezes are blowing signaling change is in the air. Fall is a time for change – especially a change in weather causing us to put our summer clothes away and bring out the sweaters and jackets. But, perhaps the most obvious change is the turning of the leaves from green to brilliant shades of scarlet, gold, orange, ad deep purple. This is not a season of death and dying it is a season of preparation. The trees are preparing for winter.

Why do leaves change color and fall? Are you curious? In late summer, as the growing season slows down, a corky separation layer develops between the stem and the leaf. After the leaf has fallen, the scar where it was attached to the stem is sealed and protected by this separation layer. As this separation layer forms, the production of food within the leaves slows down. The cells and veins in the leaf become clogged. Thus no more chlorophyll is produced, and the green color disappears. Other colors were present in the leaf, but they were hidden by the stronger green. Now they appear in all their splendor.

Frost is often given credit for autumn’s beauty, but the temperature actually has little to do with it. A combination of favorable weather conditions is required. Red pigments are formed in the sunlight in leaves that have stored sugar. Cloudy, rainy weather or a very hot, dry summer prevents the pigments from developing. If warm days are followed by warm nights the sugars drain out of the leaves and into the woody portions of the plant. Ideal conditions are bright, sunny days followed by cool nights. All this intricately planned by our Creator.

Can you remember pressing brightly colored leaves between sheets of waxed paper to preserve their color? It’s one of those experiences of life no one should miss. Here’s how to do it:

• Place autumn-colored leaves between two layers of wax paper. Cover with an old towel or cloth rag. Press the fabric with a warm iron, sealing the wax paper together with the leaf in between. Cut your leaves out, leaving a narrow margin of wax paper around the leaf edge. That’s the old-fashioned way of doing things.
• You can also preserve fall leaves in your microwave oven. Choose fresh leaves with the brightest colors. You don’t want fallen leaves that already have started to dry. Run the oven for 30-180 seconds. The drier the leaves, the less time they will need. Be careful; you could start a fire in your microwave if they cook too long.
• Here’s another way to preserve leaves using a solution of glycerin and water. Use a mixture of one part glycerin to two parts water. Place the mixture in a flat pan, and totally submerge the leaves in a single layer in the liquid. You’ll have to weight them down to keep them submerged. In two to six days, they should have absorbed the liquid and be soft and pliable. Remove them from the pan and wipe off all the liquid with a soft cloth. Done correctly, the leaves will remain soft and pliable indefinitely.

So, take some time with the children in your life. Go out and collect some of the treasures of fall. It’s something they’ll remember for the rest of their life!