A Second Look at Millbrook's Golden Tree

Last week, at Millbrook Marsh, I spotted one of the most beautiful golden trees I have ever seen. It was huge and bright yellow, and I couldn't believe I had never noticed it before. But there it was, suddenly all dressed up as though for a party, shining out like a beacon even on the drabbest of days.

I went back to Millbrook on this morning, and the light was amazing. It sent wonderful shadows and patterns across the little wooden bridge. It made the cat-tails glow like night's candles that had not burnt out. I took a bunch of mono shots, which was fun; the shadows are perfect for that sort of thing. (Mono - whoo, hey, it's just a button you push, but it made me really felt like an artiste!)

But then it was time to leave, and I was driving away. But I looked back and noticed that the light had made a transformation. The yellow tree that I had barely noticed this time was suddenly backlit by the morning light, and it was shining like the sun. I couldn't resist. I pulled the car over again and snapped a whole bunch of photos!

I have had this experience before this time of year. How bright the foliage colors appear, and what particular shade they are wearing this time, depends almost completely upon the angle of the sun. You may walk through in one direction: and nothing. And then you come back through in the other direction: and WOW! So this was a Wow! moment. It was definitely worth a second look!

I had a meeting downtown in the afternoon, and while it was chilly in the morning, it turned sunny and warm and summer-like in the afternoon. I am here to tell you that even at age 50, I find it is still fun to drive through downtown State College with the car windows open and the stereo on full volume, with the bass thumping, blasting the decals off (as one of my older sisters has famously said). It makes a girl feel truly alive!

The song, by the way, was When Doves Cry. And yes, I played it about six times in a row, at top volume every single time. Not the Prince version, though his is also quite fine, but the gorgeously sad Quindon Tarver version from the soundtrack of William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. Will I ever truly be cool? Hmm, I doubt it. But I can at least strive to be; what I probably achieve is merely . . . annoying.  ;-)

I had a few minutes to spare before my afternoon meeting, so I walked up onto Penn State's beautiful University Park campus. There were students sunning themselves on the Old Main lawn, sitting talking in little groups, playing frisbee. One industrious soul had strung a hammock between two trees below Old Main, hung a backpack from the strand of rope, and was sleeping in the hammock in the afternoon sun! (What a marvelous idea: siesta time! And a hammock - so portable - it made me wish for a hammock of my very own.)

I would make a joke about how college students are the last great leisure class (as one of my professors pontificated so many years ago), but I know just how hard many of our students have worked to get here, and how hard they work in their studies to be able to stay. But it was idyllic, in the finest sense of the word. This is a place you would look at and want to BE.

And so I walked around Old Main for a few minutes, enjoying the scene and taking many pictures. The one in the extra photos area, I took from the mall in front of the newly renovated human development buildings. I was walking up the mall and suddenly realized how lovely Old Main looked from there, with the trees still in color, and I stopped to frame a number of shots.

To my amusement, I turned around when I was done and noticed about six people with cell phones standing right behind me, perfectly mimicking my motions - and my shot! I simply smiled and walked away: down to my meeting; then to my car; and then more When Doves Cry thumping at top volume all the way down College Avenue. . . . Life is good.  :-)

The song to accompany this Blip is one I chose because of the main image. The morning light arrived and when it shone through the tree, it seemed to turn the tree on, like a lamp. A really, really BIG lamp, but a lamp nevertheless. And so here is Genesis, with Turn It On Again.

P.S. I think I love you, beautiful golden tree. <3