The Little House Of Gold

This photo was taken in early December 2011 on an overcast day.

The time was early afternoon. The location is in my neighborhood on a well traveled street in Bethesda Maryland.

The "Take it!" comes from a constant state of wonder I have been held to each year in the 15 years that I have lived here in seeing this beauty. The trees are some of the hold outs and it is a constant balancing act as to when to take the optimum photo with the very most leaves on the ground before the leaf pick up crew comes along and removes the magic of the golden ground cover. I included a smaller shot below just for fun showing the official notice for the show clearance.

The After Take: In all the years and many times that I have lived here and passed by this very modest residence, I have yet to see anyone go in or out of it. I wonder if they share in my awe and splendor of this spread of gold in which they are the center of on an annual basis. If we are fortunate enough not to have any wind when the leaves are falling there is a daily transfer of the leaves from the trees to the ground. The daily drop makes a thickening of the golden carpet which has circular symmetry as it follows the ends of the branches from which it falls. The golden leaves with the lush, greenness of the grass upon which it sits offers a subtle and ever so compatible contrast.

I cannot help but believe the people who reside in this treasure are energized by this gift whether they know it or not. (I ever so hope that they know it).