Yesterday, the kids and I spent some time playing out in the front yard at my in-laws’. Phoebe had collected some pretty leaves, and I found myself joining her. Fall comes a bit later here than at home, so the big maples in the yard were still leafy and bright. I kept finding interesting individual leaves, with interesting patterns and color arrangements. Of course I had to photograph them. First individually, then in groups. Before you knew it, I realized I wanted to spread them out and arrange them by color.¹
I was channeling Andy Goldsworthy, one of my favorite artists.
I found I had to hunt around to find more of the brightly-hued freshly-fallen leaves among the crinkled older leaves, which had turned a fairly uniform shade of brown as they dried. I paced around the yard, poking at the leaves, looking for more oranges and reds. I was enjoying myself immensely.
I was somewhat startled, therefore, when a woman from across the street yelled across: “Did you lose something?”
“No,” I replied. “We’re just playing with leaves.”
The neighbor took my explanation, with a nod and a slight look of confusion, and went back into her house.
I was reminded a little of that time I probably confused (or amused) some passersby back at my house by my rather unusual approach to shovelling snow.
Do you ever confuse your neighors?
¹ Much like I once did with tomatoes.
collecting tokens 
I love Andy Goldsworthy too! I hadn’t seen the tomato post (clearly it was before I discovered your awesomeness), so that was a fun link back, and I loved these leaf photos.
I am pretty sure I do confuse my neighbors. My choice of colors for the trim of my house when I repainted it (purple and a rather vivid yellow) were fairly perplexing to some of them. On the other hand, none of my friends were surprised. Indeed, I did not even need to tell many of my friends what colors I had chosen–they could guess.
pretty.
I am always photographing Things No Else Sees. This involves strange looks, questions, and then when I explain–do you see how that twig bends and reaches upward, I like that!–they give me a tight smile.