The Color of Leaves

Half a year ago I got into Nobuyuki's  car with fellow Tohoku research students Mike and Disa, and wound up at Yamadera (山寺:"Mountain Temple" -- read about it here and here). Back then the leaves were turning and I experienced the most brilliantly colored autumn of my life.

I went back on Sunday and realized just how much time has passed since I first came to Tohoku. It was Nobuyuki and I again, but Mike has long since left Japan, setting off on a globetrotting adventure. Disa has gotten herself lost under a pile of research experiments with unfortunate results and hasn't found her way out of the rubble yet.

The leaves though, they were ready for us, dressed in a new gown of green.

I felt the comparison of time was complete with just the two photos above, which is why this one is hidden behind the fold. In the first photo you can see a strong prong of green pines shooting into the warm colors of the younger trees on the mountain in the background. That same prong stands out clearly below, where its deep green needles thrust into the lighter greened leaves. Those light greens were on fire with reds and yellows half a year ago.