01x06 - The Leaf Painter

[bunniefuu]

♪ Our family loves to look for weather ♪

♪ There's so much we want to know ♪

♪ Weather Hunters All: That's us, Weather Hunters!

Lily: Let's go!

♪ We love discovering together ♪

Lily: What is rain?

Lily: Why does it snow?

♪ Weather Hunters ♪

♪ Around the world, around the corner ♪

♪ our adventure's just begun ♪

♪ Could be cloudy, could be sunny ♪

Al: Hey, kids! The forecast calls for fun!

♪ Whatever the weather, we're in it together ♪

All: Weather Hunters!

Lily: The Leaf Painter.

[barking]

Al: Oh, Cumie!

I just finished raking those leaves.

Benny: Yay!

Corky/Lily: Look out below.

Kids!

Dot: Whoopee!

[laughing]

Al: And you too, Dot?

[bark]

[barking]

Well, don't leave me out of the fun.

Gangway!

Dot: Whoo!

[laughing]

Jumping into leaf piles is my favorite part of fall.

Hm.

There are four seasons where we live.

Winter. Spring. Summer.

And this one, fall.

I wonder why this season is called fall?

Maybe because it makes you want to fall

into a pile of leaves.

I bet it's because fall is when leaves

fall off the trees.

Dot: You got it, Benny.

You are % correct.

Benny: I am?

Dot: Yes!

Benny: Yay!

Dot: Officially, the season is called autumn.

But a long time ago, it was called Fall of the Leaf.

And spring was called Spring of the Leaf.

Spring is the

season when new, green leaves spring forth.

[barking]

Over time, the names just became Fall and Spring.

[barking]

Lily: So, leaves are really the reason

why those seasons have the names they do.

Dot: That's right.

Lily: Wow. I never knew leaves were so important.

Corky: And not only do they fall but look at how they change

colors in fall too.

Lily: All different, beautiful colors.

Yellow, red, orange, and brown.

Lily: Dad?

Al: Yes, Lily?

How do the leaves change color like that?

That's a great question, Lily.

And once you answer it, I'll be green with envy.

[giggles]

Ooh, is that a clue, Dad?

There's only one way to find out.

Hm. Green.

Maybe I should look at a green leaf, if I can find one.

I don't see any green leaves here.

And then the trees? They're different colors, except green.

I wonder where I can find green leaves?

I know!

Lily: Dad, can we go to the park?

I'll bet I can find at least one leaf that's still green

and hasn't changed color yet.

Dot: A trip to the state park is a great idea.

Maybe there's even a Weather Hunter weathercast

we can do there.

Al: Let's rake up the rest of these leaves,

make like a tree, and “leaf” here.

Corky: Dad-jokes.

[bark]

[laughs]

Benny: Funny, Dad, I like them.

Hey, I'm just looking for a little comic “re-leaf.”

[giggles]

Another good one, Dad!

Let's get raking.

♪ music ♪

Benny: Yay!

Corky: Yay!

Al/Dot/Lily: Yay! Whoo-hoo!

Al: All right.

♪ music ♪

Dot: Those trees are so, so beautiful.

And there are so many colors.

For my next drawing,

I'm gonna need all my crayons to color these leaves.

I need lots of color.

Benny: Just like the leaf painter.

Lily: The who?

Benny: You know, the leaf painter.

The painter who paints all the leaves.

You think there's a painter who paints different

colored leaves on the trees every year?

He paints them in the park.

I've seen him do it.

Where did you see him, Benny?

In a video. He uses a lot of paint brushes,

and he dips them in his paints.

He has all sorts of paints, and he paints all the trees.

Corky: Maybe he saw it in a storybook or something,

and he thinks this leaf painter is real.

Lily: I'm sure he's not.

Can you imagine if there was? He would have to

paint a million leaves in the fall.

[laughing]

And if you add in every leaf in the world,

he'd have to paint a bajillion leaves.

Lily: And what about all the things he'd need to do the job?

Corky: He'd have to bring a huge ladder.

And a truckload of paint.

[laughing]

And his arms would get very tired.

Lily: My arms are tired just thinking about it.

Corky: But if there's no leaf painter,

then how do leaves change color in the fall?

Lily: Hm, I'm not

really sure, but that's part of the fun.

When in doubt, it's time to find out.

♪ music ♪

Dot: Ah, the air is so fresh.

Al: And Dot, you were right.

It's a perfect spot for appreciating fall colors.

Lily: Now, to find a tree that

still has some green leaves left.

Mom, maybe the leaf painter's still here?

Can we go look for him?

And Corky?

Benny: Bring your camera in case we find them.

Dot: Okay, Benny.

But don't be too upset if we don't.

Corky: Don't worry, Benny. I'll be ready.

Lily: Dad, will you go with me to look for a tree

that still has some green leaves on it?

Al: Of course.

I don't want to “leaf” you on your own.

[laughs]

I could do this all day.

Dot: Okay, time to go.

Bye, dear.

Lily: Finding a green leaf is going to be

harder than I thought.

Just think.

This summer, all you could see were green leaves.

And now they've changed.

Fall seems to happen so fast.

Whoa!

There's a green leaf.

Let's go look at it.

Hm, I don't see anything special about it.

Al: Are you sure about that?

Hm.

Maybe I should take a closer look

Flex-Specs, activate.

Lily: Magnify.

Hm.

So, what do you see?

Whoa.

Lily: I see lots of green stuff.

What is that?

Al: That green substance is called chlorophyll.

Lily: Chlorophyll?

Flex-Specs,

take a picture of it.

Al: The chlorophyll in the leaves turn sunlight into food

the tree needs to grow.

That's what makes leaves so important to the tree.

Lily: Oh, this is going in my tracker.

Lily: Leaves help trees grow by turning sunlight into

food for the tree, making something called chlorophyll

Al: That's right.

Benny: I still don't see the leaf painter.

Do you, Cumie?

[sniffing]

Hm.

Dot: You know what?

Since we can't find the leaf painter,

how about if we make some mosaics with leaves?

Benny: You can make mosaics with leaves?

Corky: That's right.

You showed me how to make leaf mosaics

when I was the same age as Benny.

And I still love it.

It's time I showed Benny how to do it.

Want to help?

Corky: Of course.

Come on, Benny, gather up some leaves.

You too, Cumulus.

Benny: Okay.

[barking]

Dad,

now I need to find a leaf that has changed color

to compare it to the green one we just looked at.

Al: How about that one right there?

Lily: Ooh. Nice one.

It has a little bit of green, but it's mostly orange.

Flex-Specs, activate.

Lily: Magnify.

Look, there's less chlorophyll.

Flex-Specs,

take another picture.

There's less chlorophyll

in this leaf, and I can see the colors behind it.

When the leaf is full of green chlorophyll, it looks green,

but when the green chlorophyll is gone,

I can see what was behind it.

Cool.

Okay, now let's sort the leaves by their color.

Why?

You'll see.

♪ music

Whoo!

♪ music ♪

[barking]

♪ music ♪

Lily: Done.

Dot: All of the leaves are sorted by color.

Now, what do we do?

Now, the fun begins, right, Mom?

Dot: Right.

Benny: Hey, I'm already having fun.

Dot: That's great, Benny!

[whimper]

♪ music ♪

Lily: Hm, I wonder.

Al: What's on your mind?

What if leaves aren't green to start with?

They are some other color.

And then the green chlorophyll covers it

so it just looks green.

Go on.

And when it goes away in the fall,

we see the colors the leaf really is.

Lily Hunter, that is some great thinking.

The green chlorophyll is hiding the other colors in the leaf.

It's a new discovery, but now I have a new question.

Al: Ha! New discoveries often lead to new questions.

What's yours?

What makes the chlorophyll leave the leaf, Dad?

Is it the weather?

Al: You just might be onto something.

Let's see “weather” or not you're right.

Looks like it's time for a Vansformation.

♪ music ♪

Al: Okay, let's see why there's

less chlorophyll in the leaf in the Fall.

[clicking]

Al: When it's warm in spring and summer,

the tree gets more sun,

and it knows to grow leaves.

Leaves lose chlorophyll and change color when

the temperature

and amount of sunlight decreases

Lily: So, the weather is the reason leaves change?

Al: Well, mostly.

Al: The tree has stored enough food

all summer to get it through the winter.

The tree stops making chlorophyll in its leaves,

and that causes the leaves to change color

and fall to the ground.

That means we have the trees to

thank for letting us have leaves to play with and jump in.

You bet.

That's a gift from the trees.

Lily: Trees are really smart.

Al: Bravo, Lily. You figured it all out.

Dot: There.

Done.

Corky: Wow, that's so cool.

Benny: It's pretty, but I don't see a leaf mosaic.

You will come on.

Benny: Where are we going?

Dot: You'll see.

Corky: Okay, let's stop here.

Now, look down there

where we just were.

Benny: Wow, our leaf mosaic looks so beautiful!

And you made it just for me.

Thank you.

[barking]

Dot: Corky, for making that leaf mosaic with me,

I now pronounce you Queen of the Fall season.

Thanks, Mom.

And I dub thee Lady of the Leaves.

Hey, what about us?

I made one for both of you, too.

[barking]

Dot: Here you go, Benny.

Benny: Wow!

Corky: I dub thee Benny the Great,

and I dub thee Sir Cumulus.

[barking]

[chuckles]

[camera clicks]

Come on, let's make one more leaf mosaic.

Corky: Yeah! Dot: Yeah!

Benny: Can I pick the design this time?

Dot: Yes.

♪ music ♪

[gasp]

[laughs]

♪ music ♪

Whoo!

[giggles]

Roar!

[laughs]

♪ music ♪

[barking]

Whoo-hoo!

[barks]

[giggles]

Benny: Yay! Corky: Whoo!

[giggles]

♪ music ♪

Done.

Let's go tell, Dad.

Dot: We'll get a great look at your mosaic

when we're on the hill later.

[barking]

The Hunters have come back

from hunting for the leaf painter

How did it go?

We made leaf mosaics for Benny,

and Mom made me a crown of leaves

like she did when I was Benny's age

[barking]

And she made a leaf crown for Benny and Cumulus, too.

Beautiful.

You look like woodland princes and a fairy princess.

Almost right, Dad.

I'm a fairy queen, right Cumie?

[barks]

Lily: Benny, I finally figured out why

leaves change color in the Fall.

You did?

Why do they change color?

Come look at this really awesome Weather

Hunter's weathercast Dad and I just finished putting together.

[beep]

Hello.

We are the Weather Hunters,

and here's today's weather report

We're here at State Park. Today's topic.

Why do leaves on trees change color in the Fall season?

Lily: Here's the scoop.

Trees grow leaves in the spring and summer

when there's plenty of bright,

warm sunlight.

Leaves collect sunlight,

which the tree turns into food for itself

with something called chlorophyll

It's the green chlorophyll

that turns the sunlight into food

and makes the leaf look green.

The tree stores the food,

and in the fall and the winter, when it's cold outside,

the tree has enough food to last through the winter,

so it stops making chlorophyll in the leaf.

When the chlorophyll is gone,

we can see the leaf's true colors

The leaf was never only green. It was full of colors

all along, hidden by the green chlorophyll.

The trees don't need their leaves in the winter,

so it lets the leaves fall to the ground.

And those are the Fall leaves we get to play with.

I'm Lily Hunter, wishing you a fabulous Fall day.

Remember, whatever the weather, we're in it together.

Benny: Wow. Great story, Lily.

Lily: Thanks, Benny.

Benny: Come on, Cumie.

[barking]

Lily: Okay, I guess now that Benny understands

the real science behind why leaves change color,

he won't imagine there's a leaf painter anymore.

Well, family, it's time to go.

[beep]

♪ music ♪

Corky: Thanks for bringing us here, Mom and Dad.

I had so much fun.

I really learned a lot today, Dad. Thanks.

[barking]

It was a wonderful time.

Good thing I didn't “fall” down on my job as Dad.

[giggles]

Get it?

Fall season? Fall down?

Haha!

Come on!

[giggles]

We get it, Dad.

And that joke is almost, sorta, kind of, maybe funny.

Why, thank you for that high praise.

[beep]

Benny: Look, there he is, the leaf painter.

Lily/Corky: What?

[gasp]

Benny: The leaf painter!

Dot: Oh my goodness, I know who he is.

It's A.H. Bingham.

Al: Yeah, he's the fellow on TV

who paints beautiful landscapes

and shows viewers how to paint them too.

Corky: Now, he does videos online

Mom, you even gave Benny permission

to watch them, remember?

And in the Fall, he paints pictures of the leaves.

Al/Dot: The leaf painter.

Corky: He's the leaf painter you've been talking about?

Benny: Yup!

Corky: We watch him all the time,

but I didn't even think of him as your leaf painter.

Watching him is how I learned to draw.

Lily: The leaf painter is not a person

who puts paint on leaves.

Corky: He's a person who paints pictures

of colorful leaves.

Of course!

Why would someone put paint on leaves?

That would be way too much work.

Just thinking about it makes my arms tired.

[chuckles]

He knew what he was talking about all along.

Benny: Can I go say hi to the leaf painter?

Dot: Sure, you can. Come with me.

Dot: Pardon me, Mr. Bingham,

but may we interrupt you for just a second?

Yes. It's no bother at all.

My name is Dot Hunter, and my family

and I think you are a true genius.

Why, thank you.

Dot: I'd like to introduce you to

maybe your biggest fan, Benny Hunter.

Bingham: Benny?

I thought you were the Leaf King.

Well, hello there, Benny.

I'm Aloysius Herbert Bingham.

Hello!

I watch you paint on all of your videos

and I make pictures too.

Your picture is marvelous.

I'm making a new painting of the Fall leaves.

What do you think?

I think you're the greatest leaf painter ever.

Bingham: Would you like to watch me paint some more?

Benny: Awesome.

[barking]

Let me show you a few things we artists need to know

when we paint leaves.

Benny, I should have listened to you more carefully

before I jump to conclusions about what you were saying.

And from now on, I promise I will.

If you say there's a leaf painter

then there really is a leaf painter

It's all good, Lily.

I learned how to make leaf mosaics

and I got some really neat

drawing lessons from Mr. Bingham

Okay, now that we found the leaf painter, let's go home.

By the way, what exactly does a leaf mosaic look like?

If you look down that hill, Dad, you'll see the last one we made.

Al: Wow. Ooh, look at that.

Benny: Yeah!

Al: That's my boy!

Benny: Whoo-hoo!

♪ ♪