Midwest Journey: A Reflection

Midwest Journey: A Reflection

by Armando Ortiz

            Yesterday I recalled driving around Kansas City, MO. It was a few years ago that I was selling books over there, in the middle of the US. It was during the autumn of 2009, and the landscape was unreal, but what could a guy from Los Angeles expect and how could he interpret what he saw? Coming from Southern California, where the sun is always out, and it seems that I never gets more than ten days of rain in throughout the whole year. Anyhow, walking past a giant oak tree brought back some memories of the fall colors in Kansas and Missouri, in fact I drove through other states, so I will say that most of the American Midwest.

            I’ve spent time in South Korea and China during autumn; this was different because it was many more times more colorful and much more magical. Trees seemed to contain the sun’s warmth in all its varying hues, even though the weather was rainy and cool. Some trees seemed to radiate pumpkin orange, and some leaves appeared to be made up of individual amber droplets that fell to the ground. The scenery here in the states was so much more vast, untamed and compelling. Trees, during the late months in East Asia seemed more like shrubs and controlled by man.

            Now I reflect and wonder, how much different is Fall in other places?

Beijing, China