colours of fire

as we tip away from the sun, diving into winter, the leaves seem to give out some of the sunlight they have absorbed over the summer, their reds and golds reflecting light up again from the ground where they have fallen.

it’s early autumn and most of the leaves are still green, but there is enough fiery colour to enjoy.

the rowan trees in the woods are covered in berries, their fallen leaves contributing to the gold on the floor.

a huge rowan, a dome of red berries and ochre leaves.

saturated rusts, ephemeral feast for the eyes.

the orange and red colours are due to the withdrawal of chorophyll, the green pigment, into the tree, and the generation of  red pigments (which are antioxidants) to help protect the tree as it shuts down.