Esquimalt woman inspired by positive potential of wet leaves on the sidewalk
To appreciate why Sky Richarde is pausing under a Garry oak tree to take a picture of a wet leaf, we need to go back to when she grew up in Kauai.
“I didn’t have a comprehension of the seasons then,” Sky says, adding that temperatures in Hawaii didn’t fluctuate through the year. “But I did understood holidays, like Christmas is coming.”
Sky was unfamiliar with “The Fall” until her family moved to Michigan.
“And it was the worst thing ever in my five year old mind,” Sky smiles. “Now I have to wear shoes going outside.”
But Sky was eventually delighted to discover that when the temperature dropped, the leaves on the trees burst with colour.
Sky recalls the autumn sun shining through the fiery foliage.
“It’s kind of like going into a cathedral and seeing stained glass.”
Autumn was awesome. Especially after raking leaves and jumping into the pile of positivity.
“I can’t think of a more magical experience,” Sky says.
Which is why, when they moved to Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and Sky saw her new home was surrounded by pine trees, the then 10-year-old was disappointed to discover the changing season featured constant colour.
“It took me awhile to start appreciating the beauty of the mountains,” Sky says.
But she did. Like she’s doing now, after moving to Canada’s west coast, and experiencing its often grey, and always green weather.
Sky is also learning to appreciate her first urban home.
“I’ve never lived in a city before,” Sky says. “We didn’t have sidewalks.”
And Sky has found that rainy pavement can provide the perfect canvas for trees to “paint” on. When their leaves fall and get wet, the pigment in them leaves a leaf-shaped image on the sidewalk.
“When you see something new like this, you go back to being a six-year-old who’s discovering the world for the first time,” Sky smiles. “And it’s just like, ‘Oh my gosh! This is so exciting!’”
Now Sky regularly stops to photograph the “leaf stamps” displayed on the sidewalks after the rain.
Whether fall includes sunning herself by the surf in Kauai, or covering herself with piles of colour in Michigan, Sky has learned that being on the lookout for beauty, and taking a moment to appreciate it, can inspire perennial positivity.
“We’re constantly bombarded by negative things (in the news),” Sky says. “I like the idea of making your own headlines, like ‘(Woman) Walking Down Street Finds Perfect Garry Oak Leaf Stamp!’”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.3960391.1554513210!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
Woman dies at Rolling Stones concert in Vancouver
A woman attending the Rolling Stones concert at BC Place died Friday night, police confirmed.
Popular weight-loss and diabetes medications linked to lower risk of some cancers, study finds
GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy may help lower the risk of certain cancers, a new study suggests.
Japan’s tourism tax sparks industry speculation in Canada
Japan has introduced a tourism tax for Mount Fuji, which has prompted some in Canada to wonder if our own tourist destinations like Niagara Falls and the Bay of Fundy could be potential options for our own tourism tax.
British prime minister hits the road to 'reset' ties with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer headed Sunday on a tour of the four corners of the U.K. as part of an 'immediate reset' with governments in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
5-year-old boy killed in Grande Prairie, Alta. crash: RCMP
A five-year-old boy from Clairmont, Alta., was killed in a five-vehicle crash in Grande Prairie, Alta., on Saturday afternoon.
Up to 7 teens with pellet guns shot at people at Toronto park: police
Multiple people have been shot by a group of teenagers with pellet guns at Woodbine Park, Toronto police say.
Harrow family of four died from gunshot wounds in case of intimate partner violence, Ontario police say
Investigators have determined that the deaths of four family members in Harrow in June were the result of intimate partner violence, with three dying from gunshot wounds and one from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Terrorism charges laid against B.C. woman who married ISIS fighter
A B.C. woman who was repatriated from a Syrian prison camp in 2022 has been arrested and charged with terrorism offences, police announced Saturday.
Man airlifted to Toronto-area hospital after double stabbing in Courtice, Ont.
Two men are facing charges after a double stabbing in Courtice, Ont. early Sunday morning, which saw one victim airlifted to a Toronto-area trauma centre.