I hate to admit it...

But signs of fall are are creeping in! One of the many things that fascinate me about nature, are trees. I am NOT a 'tree hugger'. But I am intrigued by the way the Lord has made them self-preserving. They make and store their own food, and when the ground gets hard, they store their own water. Like a camel. You don't have to be a scientist to enjoy the beauty of the fall colors in the trees. Reds, yellows, golds, and browns, even purple. But here is a little something that might make you appreciate them more. So in my own words...

Water enters each leaf through microscopic tubes in the leaf's stem. Near the end of summer, a thin layer of cork like stuff seals off the ends of the tubes. Without water the green color (chlorophyll) fades and disappears. Then the yellow (xanthophyll) and orange (carotin) colors can be seen. These colors are all there all of the time(in little packages called chloroplasts), but the green over powers all the others.

The plant's food, sugar, is carried out by sap to other parts of the tree to be used during the winter months. But sometimes, some of this sugar is trapped in the leaves when the tubes seal, causing the leaves to turn red or purple.

Pretty amazing isn't it? This is only the one aspect of trees and their leaves and how it all works, and how they benefit us! I encourage you all to consider doing a tree study as part of your fall curriculum this year. But don't forget to make sure that you highlight the most important thing!

That GOD is the one who created and orchestrated all of nature, and that He has given us just one more way to praise Him and give Him the glory for His awesome handiwork in the trees.

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom though hast made them all. The earth is full of thy riches.

~Psalm 104: 24