The Tree

I sit on my front porch this morning staring at the big tree in my front yard. Its thick trunk seemingly cemented into the earth as if it will be there until time ends or humans intervene. As I continue up from the trunk the bark is a smooth pale brown, with white spots due to years of abuse out in the elements of nature. It has four branches from the trunk that continue to reach for the cool crisp sky on this beautiful September morning. The four branches continue to branch into multiple smaller branches, until my eyes reach the thin ends covered with wide leaves with a greenish-yellow tint. The leaves standout so well with the sky in the back. The broad leaves themselves perfectly suited to what they evolved for. This being to carry out the process of transpiration, in which carbon dioxide is taken up by the plant and used to create oxygen, which is released into the environment. I have always loved how my knowledge of science can be used to describe and understand the natural processes of the world. As the sun is rising the light begins to hit the leaves, leaving them to take on a new lime green tint, with the leaves at the top casting a distinct shadow on the leaves below.

My first impressions of the tree are that it is healthy. From the anterior it looks big and well nourished. However I decided to take a closer look. As I approached I slowly made out little bits of bark that seemed beaten and weathered. I looked up at the leaves and noticed more and more with a yellowish glow. I doubt this to be fall, but in theory it could be. If anything my best guess would be that it is from the sweltering heat of the Texas sun. The tree seems to be hanging on its last leg, praying for the more moderate temperatures to come to breathe life again. However, this breathe will be short. The freezing temperatures of winter lay just around the corner to bring the yearly cycle of life to an end, only to meet a new beginning in March. All I can do for the tree is gaze on in amazement of the natural processes of Earth, and hope for the best.