Most of us come home from an outing in the Wenatchee Watershed with new questions that begin with “Why?” Recently, my “Why” was preceded by “Wow,” in response to seeing the golden beauty of an aspen grove, encountered amidst the rich greens of conifer-clad mountainsides, on a bluebird mid-October day.

I wondered, “Why are some aspen leaves tinged with a pinky-red, yet most are a vivid gold?”

I did find my answer (Thank you, Google): Why Are Some Aspen Red? I thank professional photographer Edward MacKerrow (with a PhD in Optics) for his terrific photography, color explanation, and summary graphic. As in most things biology, the answer is complicated and begins with “it depends.” I hope you’ll read his In Light of Nature Blog to find the answer to my question.