Rainbow Leaf Colour Wheel

Rainbow Leaf Colour Wheel, originally uploaded by e s c h e r.

Whilst out in the park yesterday we visited a chamelia we know of that produces amazing colours as it sheds it's leaves. There was one leaf that I found that was green one side of the central vein and red on the other. I've never seen one like it before. You can see it at the bottom of the wheel.

I wanted to show off this leaf with changing colours starting from red on one side of it and green the other. The obvious solution for this idea was to fade the colours in a circle.

We bumped into Litrate again this morning when we were out for a walk and he was out on a bike ride. This time he must have just recognised my face as I wasn't stooped over examining a leaf. He asked me what I was planning and I said "nothing much we are just out walking" but that wasn't quite true. When the walk had finished I wanted to make this coloured circle.

Just as I was completing the circle and getting ready to set it up I noticed the wind had dropped. I remarked to my partner that that happened yesterday just before it got really windy and the storm broke on top of us. That weather soon destroyed yesterday's efforts. Yet again I would need to be quick to avoid the same thing happening.

I soon forgot what I had said and relaxed and waited for the sun to break free from the clouds. A group of three butterflies - red amirals, two females and a male - circled around and around in swirls chasing each other before sunning themselves on the warm rock. It is obviously loving season in the butterfly world. The beautiful long golden grasses and the insect display kept us distracted from the storm clouds gathering on the horizon. The circle still looked striking without the sun shining through it so I got some shots and sat down and waited some more.

The wind, without warning, started to pick up considerably. It seems what I noticed about yesterday might have been accurate after all. Across the hills to the coast you could see the storm clouds rolling towards us.

"It is going to rain" my partner said.

"Errm, I think they are going to go around us" refusing to admit defeat. "It's ok the wind is not blowing towards us." I picked up some grass and threw into the air. Nope it was blowing straight towards us.

I turned around to look at the weather coming and the wind had loosened several leaf sections and they would soon be lost. I sprinted through the heather to try and save it (I'd like you to imagine Usain Bolt doing the 100m - It wouldn't be an accurate image but I would like you to imagine it anyway) and fortunately I got there in time. I whipped it off it's struts and protected it from the wind.

It was no use. Despite willing the storm to go around us it was coming right over the top and would soak us while making autumn with my leaves. With my tail between my legs we retreated hoping that I capture the light as I wanted it another day.

BTW, check out the time lapse video down below, I think it's cool!