This White Oak leaf (Quercus alba) modeled for me yesterday as I was roaming, enjoying the last of the autumn colors. Last evening a front came through. Wind roared and howled with incredible speed as it blew through the mountain trails.

One little branch. Not much to hold onto. But maybe it’s still there hanging from that branch despite the high winds.

White Oak trees, at least young trees, keep their leaves through the winter, dropping them in spring. More mature White Oak trees often will drop their upper leaves but hold onto the lower leaves until winter turns to spring. This is called marcescence.

Nature is amazing in its complicated world.

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