I Saw a Leaf The Other Day

I Saw a Leaf The Other Day

Yep A Leaf.

You probably ask: What was so special about it? Was it Fancy? Was it an odd leaf? Was it unique, oddly-colored, or in any way attractive? NOPE Just a leaf. It was in the gutter, yellowed, and no longer beautiful.

Why would that attract my attention, and why would I feel like Blogging about it?

Well, living in Las Vegas, sometimes it is easy to forget about the simplest of natural things. Vegas is a place where everything is artificial. It is a land in a barren Desert, a land that anything green was placed by man, not by nature. There Are Many trees, shrubs, and plants that do exist so prevalently here. Heck, especially in the most popular areas, tourist areas, and attractive areas.

Palm Trees are EVERYWHERE in Vegas. It would seem at first glance that this is a Tropical Paradise! I remember when I first moved here, how amazed I was at All the Palm Trees. There are so many wonderful varieties, shapes, and types. It actually is amazing, and mesmerizing to gaze upon the millions of Palm Trees everywhere ya go in Vegas.

There also are millions of other trees. There are also thousands of varieties all over Vegas. Yup, they have leaves. So why would seeing a single leaf in a gutter just make me stop, ponder, and study it in awe?

Well, I came to Vegas from Oregon. And before Oregon, I have lived in Washington, California, and Virginia. I have been all over this beautiful Country, But those are the places I have called home. The one thing all those places have in common, is there is abundant nature, trees, and greenery everywhere … Naturally. Trees in those places thrive, and create forests … with no help from humans. In those places, you would never think twice about a leaf in a gutter. In those places, leaves are always all over the place.

That is not how it is in Vegas. But it takes many years of living here to suddenly realize that one leaf you just saw is an abnormality. Every tree growing in Vegas is planted by a Human. Every tree in Vegas takes lots and lots of human care for it to survive, let alone make it to maturity. In fact, most of the landscaping here is done with Very Mature trees, because most trees if planted as young ones would die. It is quite amazing to see a tree the size of a house lifted by crane and planted!  Imagine a fifty-foot tall tree, with a 20-foot wide crate encasing its roots being hoisted. (I have never seen how they arrive here, but it must be by truck … somehow … Or perhaps Aliens?)

The same goes for the palm trees. They are so amazing, and majestic. They are Everywhere here! (Haha, Even the Cell Phone Towers are made to look like palm trees, so they “Blend-in”.) True palm trees give the feeling of Paradise, and are wonderful to be among. But, they are not Natural here. All it takes is to go a few miles in any direction, and you suddenly notice the “end” of where The Artificial ends, and the True Natural begins.

Sure, The Mojave Desert has plenty of what grows naturally … But it is not usually found in the “make-believe” land that is Las Vegas. Go just a few miles outside of Vegas, and you see plenty of shrubs, unique bushes, and assorted growing things. Go along any of the washes/ drainage ditches that trickle thru the valley, and you will see an assortment of greenery, shrubs, and things that attempt to look like trees. You will notice that the stuff growing naturally in this region is low to the ground, has very small leaves, and seems to fit perfectly in this environment. But if you seek Trees, You will be disappointed. The tallest of anything that grows here naturally is seldom above 15-20 feet tall. The Leaves are quite amazing, and wonderful to study. You notice how they are adapted to Thrive in a Desert.  

As you ponder the things that truly grow naturally here, you learn more about how much effort is put into creating a make-believe landscape. Well, Las Vegas is here for The Tourists. The entire economy exists because it caters to Tourists. Apparently the tourists want trees with leaves. Yet I wonder how many of them stop to notice a Single Leaf in The Gutter. 

Whether you see One Lonely Leaf in a Gutter, Or Thousands on a Tree, I Hope You Stop and Notice it.