RINGING THE CHANGES

Scrambling around in the back garden the other day I was struck by the lacy shadows and patterns on some old, thin-with-age leaves.

Losing their colour as they near the end of their season, some leaves take on a skeletal quality. Like these…

Dioscorea The green, heart-shaped leaves in the background are, two days later, already losing their brilliance and will probably make it to the compost bin by Sunday.

And, as old life ebbs, new life begins…

A mangrove seedling securing its place as dry, withered leaves float past.

Being in the tropics, we don’t have sharply defined seasons. As I have mentioned. Once or twice 🙂

Years ago, friends in Connecticut had a huge old elm in their yard and it dropped its not inconsiderable load of leaves in one night. The kids would be detailed to ” rake up those leaves before someone slips over!” They grizzled every year about this onerous, to them, task. I wonder how they’d like to have to pick up palm trash EVERY DAY?

Looking up, through the terminalia and foxtail palms. Just two of the reasons I don’t have a vegetable garden! Although…the terminalia seeds are supposed to be edible. Anyone out there know how to prepare them? In parts of Africa the tree is called “false almond” and the nuts are eaten, but none of my books has reliable information on the cooking aspects.

This picture was taken in March, well before the retreat of chorophyll’s army…

If you’re interested, in this mis-matched planting are Casuarina, Thevetia, Viburnum, Ardissia, Mutabilis and Dioscorea. Oh, yes – somewhere behind these is my tamarind, tall, straight and lanky.