Autumn Leaves

Leaves changing colors, cooler weather, Daylight Savings Time ends this weekend, Sun. 11/4.
In 1784 Benjamin Franklin came up with the idea of setting our clocks ahead during the spring and summer and then setting them back during the winter. The reason was to save money on expensive lamp oil. Pretty good idea.

It's not the cooler weather that makes the leaves change colors, it's the lack of sunlight.
As the photosynthesis in the leaves slows down and the chlorophyll dissappears, the bright green in the leaves is replaced with the yellows, browns and reds that we see, from left over glucose. These different colors have always been there but the bright green chlorophyll covered it up. The brown colors in leaves from oaks and other trees is the left over waste. It's the combination of these things that make for the beautiful colors we see.

9"x12" watercolor on 120lb Arches paper. $125 + $5 S&H prints available $30 ea.