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In Autumn of 2022, this towering maple tree put on one final, breathtaking performance before it had to be cut down. It took me by such surprise that I captured it with only my cell phone. I had driven by the tree on an almost daily basis, which I would barely notice during the summer. Its broad branches, once a canopy of life and shade, were ablaze with fiery oranges, as though nature itself knew it was a farewell performance. Each gust of wind sent a cascade of fluttering leaves into the air, drifting softly to the ground like embers from a slow-burning fire. Neighbors paused to admire its beauty, as if aware that this seasonal transformation would be its last. For years, the tree had been a steadfast presence, and this final autumn was a bittersweet tribute to its long life, its color more vivid and poignant than ever before. Little did I know that there would not be any encore performances. When the time came for it to be cut down in 2023, it left behind a vivid memory of nature’s cycle, a reminder of impermanence, and a final burst of beauty.
Weekly prompt: Performance
Photo captured along Harding Avenue in LaGrange Park, Illinois on October 24, 2022.
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@Jean-Luc.M: The tree was rotting from the inside out and was losing its stability and could have fallen on something or someone.