It is a privilege to be able to witness seasonal changes that take place all around Sweet Briar so there was really no reason to get picky on which picture to observe because either way it is going to be aesthetically pleasing. The picture above is a view of the old train station looking from a near by field.  There are three main trees I will be focusing my attention. Yellow poplar which has brown, furrowed bark, smooth branches, and wide smooth leaves. Silver maple which is quite large with smooth, silvery bark and leaves that have deep angular notches. The last one is the pumpkin ash which has hairy leaves and rough, light grey bark.
       When you do witness the magnificent color changes from summer to fall do you ever stop to think why they change? During autumn the days get shorter thus cutting down on the amount of chlorophyll in leaves. Chlorophyll is what gives leaves its green color so when there isn't enough sunlight the chlorophyll fades away exposing the other color pigments that already exist in the leaves. Some trees are known for turning certain colors thats how I know that (in the picture above) the yellow poplar will turn golden yellow, the silver maple will turn a light yellow and the pumpkin ash will turn orange. All tree leaves contain three main pigments: carotene (yellow), anthocyanin (orange, red, and brown), and chlorophyll (green). As mentioned before chlorophyll fades away and exposes carotenes or anthocyanin pigments. These pigments will show depending on the amount of sunlight and water it receives during the fall as well as how much sugar produced within the leaf.