Taking Leaf Of My Sanity

I have a tree fetish. Actually, it's more like a hobby. And I think it may also be just a fad.

I have been very interested in learning to tell the various tree species apart. We have a vast array of different tree types in our neighborhood, and aside from the obvious maples and oaks, I have often wondered what the others are.

So I found a place on the internet that helps you identify trees based on their foliage, bark, and seeds/fruit.

Now I am a madman of botany. I travel the neighborhood looking for all the crazy uncommon leaves to bring back home and identify.

So far I have found several varieties of maple, oak, ash, black locust, mulberry, apple, sycamore, and a whole bunch of coniferous trees which are much harder to identify accurately.

I must look ridiculous, sneaking up onto people's lawns, jumping up and snatching a few leaves from their trees, then running away. If they are looking out the window at me I'm sure they think I'm nuts.

Maybe I am, come to think of it.