Cross-quarter days

We are part of nature and seasons, even if we have forgotten. The ambiance of October days, blue sky and colored leaves falling. The veil between the worlds is thin now.  The harvest is over, the light is decreasing, we are entering the dark time of the year.

 

Halloween decorations are on display--ghosts and witches, skeletons and grinning faces of pumpkins are everywhere.

 

Trick or treat, we say. An offering to the spirits. The old name Samhain, marked the beginning of a new year, the thinning of the veil between the worlds of living and dead. A time of magic and renewal.

 

Halloween, All-Hallows Eve,  Samhain  falls between the September equinox and the December solstice. This is called a cross-quarter day.

The other cross-quarter days are---

 

Feb 2--halfway between the December solstice and the March equinox--also called Imbolc or Groundhog Day.  Celebrate increasing light, and the start of the growing season.

 

May 1--Halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice--also called Beltane. Celebrate the spring planting.

 

August 1--halfway between the summer solstice and the fall equinox--also called Lammas. Celebrate the first harvest of the growing season.

So the Wheel of the Year turns, and we still celebrate the changing seasons. 

Fine Fall Colors

 

 

Why do leaves change color in the fall?

The green of summer leaves is the result of an abundance of chlorophyll. The chlorophyll masks the other pigment colors. As the days grow shorter in the fall, chlorophyll production diminishes. The green fades, revealing the underlying colors in the leaves

Carotenoids produce the yellow and orange colors in the leaves, and also appear in peppers, corn, carrots, daffodils, and bananas. 

Carotenoid production is not dependant on light so levels are not diminished by shorter days.

Xanthophyll is responsible for the yellow pigments in the carotenoids. The orange  comes from carotene. Xanthophyll plays a part in regulating the rate of photosynthesis by balancing the production of chlorophyll. It's also what causes the yellowing of leaves due to stress or disease.

Yellow leaves are characteristic of sycamores, birch,  ash and hickory trees. 

Anthocyanines  are responsible for the reds and purples and even blues of flowers and fruits. They are in cherries, cranberries and apples, grapes strawberries and plums. 

They are found in the reds of sugar maples, red maples, and dogwoods. 

Tannins are the browns in the leaves of some oaks and other trees, They are always present but only become visible as chlorophyll and carotenoids disappear. Tannins are also what gives tea its color and flavor. 

How does weather affect the intensity of leaf colors?

Anthocyanines are dependent on light and temperature. Sugars remain in the leaves on warm sunny days and cool nights, increasing anthocyanine production, creating the most intense reds.

Rain and/or overcast days decrease anthocyanine production, resulting in more yellows and browns.

A wet spring, normal summer rainfall, and warm sunny days and cool nights are the ideal conditions for the most spectacular fall colors!