it’s almost time

The October 2021 edition of The Changing Seasons is coming soon

I know some of you have been feeling this way: really, where has the month gone?

Which is why I love The Changing Seasons: it gives me a chance to reflect back on the month, pore through my archives and remind myself that in fact, I did have a month.

Please join Brian & his thought-provoking photographs and ideas at Bush Boys World, and I, as we co-host this wrap up of the month. We are looking forward to catching up with you: please pingback or post your links to either of our sites in a few days. More about The Changing Seasons can be found below.

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In the spirit of Fall, here’s a fallen leaf which looks almost like a ginormous maple leaf. Previously posted here, we’ve had some conversation about what this leaf could be.

I searched online for the name of the tree to which these leaves belong, but “large leaf” “maple-like” “Singapore Botanic Gardens” didn’t yield any joy.

Imagine my excitement as I encountered one of the Garden Rangers bagging up these huge leaves as I ran through the Boardwalk in the Learning Forest. I stopped to ask if he knew what the name of these leaves were.

Turns out they belong to a Macaranga gigantea, also colourfully known as Elephant’s Ear Tree.

Macaranga gigantea is a common tree found in secondary forests, growing up to 18m. They have huge palmate leaves of 3-5 lobes, measuring 20-80cm long … In Peninsular Malaysia, a decoction of the root bark is applied internally to treat dysentery. In Sumatra, a decoction of the bark and leaves is used to treat stomach-ache. Also in Indonesia, fresh sap is applied as an antidote to centipede bites. In Brunei a leaf decoction is also used as an antidote to poisoning of a general nature. The wood is used for building houses, and for implements. The bark has been used for tanning and dyeing. The resinous gum is applied as glue, and the leaves for wrapping up food.”

Urban Forest

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About The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons is a monthly project where bloggers around the world share their thoughts and feelings about the month just gone. We all approach this slightly differently — though generally with an emphasis on the photos we’ve taken during the month.

For many of us, looking back over these photos provides the structure and narrative of our post, so each month is different. Some focus on documenting the changes in a particular project — such as a garden, an art or craft project, or a photographic diary of a familiar landscape.

But in the end, it is your changing season, and you should approach it however works for you.

There are no fixed rules around post length or photo number — just a request that you respect your readers’ time and engagement.

Brian and I will post our The Changing Seasons at the end of the month. We hope you will join us with a post of your own, with a pingback or link to either of us.

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This post is my contribution to Past Squares hosted by Becky at Life of B.