Oak Leaves at the Arboretum

February 2009. Houston Arboretum & Nature Center. Texas.

At first I wasn't sure I'd come across any leaves I wanted to photograph. Much was brown and crumbling. But these two were in different places along the path and beckoned to me.

Bradford Pear

January 2009. Our backyard. Texas.
By now most of the leaves have turned and fallen off the Bradford pears. A few bright red ones remain, clinging to the gray branches, lovely against the clear blue sky on a cool day.

Backyard After Hurricane Ike

September 2008. Our backyard. Texas.

We lost a lovely Bradford pear tree in the hurricane. The storm also stripped many leaves off the remaining pear, as well as the oak trees. It was like a green autumn as I raked up the leaves.

Brown & Gray

December 2008. Gorman Falls, Colorado Bend State Park. Texas Hill Country.

A warm little hike with my husband down to Gorman Falls. Many brown and gray leaves crinkled on the ground.

Pink Magnolia & Sweet Potato Vine

January 2009. My backyard. Texas.

Venturing out to the yard one clear, cool afternoon, I smiled at the perfect afternoon light. The leaves captured it so well. The sweet potatoes were wiped out by frost that evening.

Unknown Leaf

December 2008. Inks Lake State Park. Texas.
I very contentedly sat by the edge of this little lake and tossed leaves into the water while my husband climbed up a little cliff. More to come of these photos. Perhaps I will be able to determine their name.

Redbud Leaf

December 2008. My front yard. Texas.
I was delighted to notice this little puddle captured so neatly in the leaf upon returning home from a walk.

Birch Leaves

November 2008. My neighborhood. Texas. I was enchanted by the light one morning on my walk, and the way the leaves captured the light. This is a different species of birch than the photo below, but I cannot determine the exact name.

Unknown Leaves

September 2008. Below Spearfish Falls. Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota. On a little hike with my family one lovely autumn afternoon. A family tradition. Some of these may be birch leaves, but some of them definitely are not.

Sugar Maple Leaves

October 2008. Arboretum. Rapid City, South Dakota. A lazy afternoon enjoying a walk in the park with my sister, admiring the fair trees planted in the arboretum. We were tempted to take a nap in the grass, but settled for a rest on a bench instead.

Ornamental Kale Leaf

October 2008. Sioux Park Formal Gardens. Rapid City, South Dakota.
The ornamental kale were exquisite, full of glimmering droplets caught between their tightly closed leaves. A few leaves had fallen to the ground, very pretty in their own way.

One Hundred Leaves

Like many of us, I have been enchanted by leaves since childhood. I've saved them between book pages in the autumn, drawn them, gathered twigs of cottonwood leaves to put in jars, and covered them with paint to bray onto paper as prints. Lately, I've started photographing them. Inspired by Tollipop's One Hundred Dresses project, I've launched One Hundred Leaves to celebrate the beauty of leaves. The photos may not always be terribly outstanding, but I will share them because they speak to me and perhaps they will speak to you as well. And one hundred is just a loose guideline - I well suspect that I may end up with more than that! I'd love to know what you think, and I'd love links to your leaf photos as well!