September 2010 Commentary: Leaf Fall

In the northern hemisphere, the month of September (March in the southern hemisphere) marks the beginning of the fall season of beautiful color changes in temperate hardwood forests. School children, university students, teachers and professors return to campuses to resume their studies. Gardeners and farmers celebrate the harvest, and some extend the growing season with clear plastic-covered or glass-framed hoophouses . Some wildlife like elk start bugling and mating; others like snow geese organize innately for migrating to warmer regions; and others display behaviors appropriate to preparing for the upcoming winter. Oak and other deciduous trees shed their leaves and close up shop until the spring time. Leaf fall is a warm blanket of fertile mulch for Mother Earth on which a white quilt of snow falls for further insulation and protection through the winter.