This morning’s walk got me thinking.
Everywhere you look right now, things are bursting into life.
Buds opening, leaves unfolding, that fresh spring green starting to take over.
But how often do we actually stop and look at them properly?
So today, I did exactly that.
No plan. No target.
Just walking and noticing.
What I ended up with was this, a collection of leaves I came across along the way.
No names. No need to identify them.
That’s not really the point here.
It’s just about looking.
What struck me most wasn’t just how many there were, but how different they all are.
Some are soft and almost glowing in the sunlight.
Others are darker, tougher, already holding their shape.
Some edges are smooth.
Others look like they’ve been carefully cut with tiny scissors.
Some leaves are only just beginning to open, still folded and delicate.
Others are already stretching out, catching as much light as they can.
And the colours are not just green.
Bright lime.
Deep green.
Copper.
Almost red in places.
All from one simple walk.
Next time you’re out, take a minute.
Pick a tree.
Or don’t even do that, just look around you.
See how many different shapes you can spot.
How many shades of green there actually are.
You might be surprised what you’ve been walking past and sometimes, if you look closely enough… you’ll spot more than just the leaf.