Leaves are magic. They really are. But they’re one of those little everyday bits of magic that we’re surrounded by all the time, so sometimes we sort of stop noticing them. But if you pay attention, you’ll see leaves do all sorts of things. They grow, they change shape, they move around, and, maybe best of all, they change color.

Xanthophyll is one of the things that helps with that color change. It’s a yellow pigment that is usually hidden behind the green pigment chlorophyll. For much of the year you can’t see it, but it’s protecting the leaf from the stress that can be caused by sudden bursts of bright sunlight. When the green chlorophyll fades away, the yellow xanthophyll becomes visible again, which is part of why leaves turn yellow in the fall.

And I kind of love that. I kind of love the idea of something being there, quietly protecting you in the background, even if you can’t see it. And then when the circumstances are right, and you do get to see it, it’s beautiful!

It seems like a lovely way to think about handknit socks. They’re there, quietly protecting you, even though you might not see much of them as you go about your day. But when you do catch sight of them, they’re so lovely they stop you in your tracks. And that feels like a sort of magic too!

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