Summer to Autumn at Lifechanyuan Headquarters

Tongxin Celestial

It’s been a while since Huiyi last shared photos of Lifechanyuan Headquarters’s vegetables and flowers, so today I’m catching up with some new ones. Among the four seasons here—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—winter is the longest, followed by summer. Autumn is the shortest, and spring lasts only about a month to a month and a half, roughly from late April to early June.

When spring arrives, fresh green buds and delicate blossoms peek out from the grass, trees, and flowers. Driving along the roadsides, the vibrant green of spring fills the landscape with vitality, signaling the awakening of the earth after winter’s slumber. By June, the plants grow rapidly, shifting from tender green to lush green. This year, we had over a dozen rain showers, making the surroundings vividly green and thriving.

In July, the rain suddenly stopped, leading to drought and wildfires. Lawns turned yellow due to dryness, and water conservation measures set by the government meant we had to adhere to a schedule for watering flowers and plants. By August, the rain returned, though less frequent than in June, but the increased humidity helped control the wildfires.

By mid-September, autumn begins. Almost overnight, leaves seem to be lightly gilded with gold. The row of poplars along Lover’s Path starts turning yellow, and when all the leaves are fully golden, the sight in the sunlight is stunningly romantic and serene. Autumn feels like the most beautiful season, perhaps because it marks the end of a busy summer, allowing us to slow down, relax, and enjoy the autumnal beauty.

However, autumn is fleeting—lasting only about three weeks. As the temperature drops, the leaves fall quickly, and the golden landscape soon gives way to winter. When the poplar trees by the lake across from us shed all their leaves, it’s a sign that winter has officially arrived.

The photos I’m sharing were taken from summer through autumn. The earlier ones, with lush green hues, are from July and August, while the later ones, with changing colors, capture autumn. The full moon photo was taken during the Mid-Autumn Festival. That day, we prepared four fruit platters, and Xinrui even made round cakes (though I forgot to take photos). We also lit up the entire main building with decorative lights to celebrate the festival.

During the busy summer days, work often felt like a battle—fast-paced and intense. The heat and workload left little room for maintaining appearances. After each task, we had to quickly freshen up and change to be ready to welcome guests at any moment (my room’s large glass window faces directly toward the Central Yard entrance). As a result, I didn’t take many photos.

In the future, I’ll try to capture more moments from our daily work and life. I’ll also dig out the selfie stick, so we can take group photos ourselves!

2024-12-21