Colors

I came to a somewhat disturbing realization today. I miss autumn. As I was walking from class to my car. I saw some brown trees in the distance between all the green trees and in front of the brown hills. In the area, if it turns color, it usually turns to brown. There are no Sugar Maples here, or atleast very few, and the leaves just turn brown and fall off. Most of the trees are evergreen, not pines, but mediterranean evergreens. No bright reds and yellows and no smell of dusty dry leaf piles. In my plants class we learned of plants that color in the fall, but its usually one simple color, like a tulip tree turning yellow, or a camphor tree turning red. I miss the riot of color that self paints anually. As I neared my car I passed the one type of tree that does provide me with some solice, Liquidamber styraciflua. I pulled a leaf off the tree to glance at the twisted colors within. Greens, reds, oranges and yellows, brought a smile to my face. But yet, I still miss seasons. I have decided that if I intend to live in California longer than academy requires, I need to live near the mountains. There I could reach my dose of snow and surround my home with a grove of Liquidamber. Where I can rake them into piles to fall in, so that I can smell my fill of dusty dry leaves in the fall.