Red mapleLondon, ON
November 2010
About this photo: This is another one of my favorite pictures of the year. Coincidentally, Thematic Photographic celebrates our faves of the year, too. So can you: Just go here.It's easy for Canadians to become jaded by the maple tree. It is, after all, one of our country's core symbols, the kind of thing that instantly reminds us of who we are and why we love this country.
Well, if you're not a Quebec separatist, that is. But that's an issue for another day. For the rest of us, it's an ever-present icon of the everyday.
The maple tree serves up enough natural reminders that the patriotic among us have lots to play with when autumn turns the landscape into an endless Crayola box. I remember this shot well. It was breakfast-time and I had just dropped the kids off at school. The sun was delightfully low, and the backlit leaves almost begged to have their picture taken before they took their final, one-way trip down.
Since I'm not one to disagree with a leaf, I soon found myself reaching into my camera bag. How Canadian of me.
Your turn: Why are national symbols like maple leaves and stars and stripes so important to so many of us?
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5 comments:
Because its tradition,familiarity... Makes us feel secure...a symbol of what we stand for... We have the Calif. poppy, that huge bear on our state flag...Just like family traditions/rituals... Just like the heart my ex bf carved in the tree w/our initials has the same feeling and symbolism as your maple leaf, calif. poppy, bear... even the statue of liberty....sentimentality, history.
i just like the color.... so beautiful
Ahhh...Canadian Pride.
I'm with you here!
There are a ton of symbols I hold dear....the beaver:), my red and white (anything), of course the maple, and my Canadian Rockies, (although maybe that's just MY symbol of my love for this country!)
Oh Canada!
They are a part of so many important, meaningful, and historical roots....from our life time. Placed proudly on flags of countries. Some Minnesota neighborhoods have special icons linked to their city on each street sign. City of White Bear Lake, has a white polor bear, Little Canada, a red maple leaf! We (most of us) know the importance to Canada!
That's a beautiful shot!
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