Fall Foliage

In the second grade, I sat in awe as my teacher taught the class about the Fall season. Well, maybe not in "awe", but I sat there none-the-less. We learned about the fluctuation in temperature and how that causes the chlorophyl in leaves to dissipate, which causes them to change color. Fall time rocks! My teacher also said something along the lines of "New England is known for their colorfol leaves." However, I may not have been listening as intently as I should have, and instead, I heard, "Leaves only change color in New England." And it is with this assumption that I lived the next month or so of my life, until...

Every Colombus Day growing up, my family would drive to New York to go apple picking. It was on this drive that second grade year, that I eagerly watched out the window of our station wagon for the New York state line. I couldn't wait to see the green trees, because, afterall, leaves only change color in New England and everyone know that New York is not part of New England. However, as we crossed the state line, there was no change in leaf color -- the fall foliage was very similar to that in Connecticut. It was then that I made the assumption that leaves change color in New England and New York only, and no where else. And it is with this assumption that I lived the next several YEARS of my life....

Obviously, when you reach a certain age, you realize that the stuff you thought was true when you were a kid just ain't. I hear that leaves change colors all over the United States, but I still cling to my childhood belief because that was my "truth" throughout my developmental years. It is still weird for me to see pictures of family members apple picking in Ohio and Illinois with leaves of all colors surrounding them. In a part of my brain, it doesn't add up and I am taken back to that familiy car trip and the shock that I felt as we entered the state of New York. I want to hang on to my childhood beliefs -- they are so comfortable and fun. To this day, Scott gets upset with me when I question his Chicago Autumns. I'll say something like, "leaves don't REALLY change color in Chicago" (I mostly say this to get under his skin), and he'll reply, "yes they do! You are so biased. New Englanders only care about New England, you think that your ways are the only ways." And to some extent, that's true. New England does have their own way of doing things. I measure distance in hours, not miles. I don't make eye contact with people when I pass them on the street. In the Spring, I wear shorts when it hits 60 degrees. There are so many things that make New Englanders unique...however I now know that fall foliage is NOT one of them.

But you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

So, in conclusion, I presently believe that the best Fall foliage can be found on my farm, however, the rest of New England ain't so bad either. I am also positive that leaves change colors in New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio -- and I'm pretty sure New Jersey too. I'm still not entirely certain about the rest of the United States. See, I do care about more than just New England...and I am willing to change my beliefs...one state at a time.