How does one choose?

Veins!

         

Proctor District, Tacoma, tree

Closer view of the above tree

Schuster Parkway, Tacoma, moment

Sun lighting the leaves a few minutes later

Approaching storm maybe downed all the leaves

I always carry a camera in whatever bag I am carrying: sometimes I think it would be better left at home as I wouldn't be driven to capture so many images!  This autumn has been, or so it seems to me, particularly brilliantly colorful. No doubt  our prolonged summer and lack of cold has something chemical to do with the sugar in the leaves and the color.  As I recall those three things are what direct the leaves autumnal color. The rapidity with which leaves fall was illustrated graphically when I returned, the next day,  to take more photos of the leaves with amazing veins. Not a one on the tree!
But when you have all these images the choice then becomes which ones do you wish to share?  After much sorting and resorting ... these are the ones I chose. I offer the beauty of these leaves as a possible balm for the divided sentiments roiling around in the country the day after the re-election of President Obama.

Autumn leaves ... Compost.

Driving to the pool to exercise early this morning I passed this overflowing can of maple leaves heading for the compost pile in our city's yard waste site.  I actually stopped my car, turned around and went back to take a photo. Not sure just what it was that I found so comical about the overflowing can - but I was amused. Walking up the road to take the photo I glanced across the street and exactly opposite there were a whole lot more leaves, of beautiful autumnal hues, probably destined for the next yard waste collection in two weeks. But for today those leaves were still holding on for the perfect climatic moment to drop.  It's always encouraging to realize that those leaves will become "food" for future new  leaves in another spring time burst ... of green.