I once lived in a small town in the upper midwest. How small
was it? It was so small there was only a single Dairy Queen, a crumbling, 1950s
cement block building with only window service. It had a couple of weathered
picnic benches where teen agers gathered during the summer months. It closed
for the winter early in November and didn't reopen until the weather warmed up
in March.
It closed because the building wasn't insulated and the
heating costs would have been enormous. Plus, when there is snow on the ground,
no one stops at a restaurant that lacks heated indoor seating. The decision to
close for the winter was economic – operating expenses would increase while
revenues decrease. The owner would lose money by staying open all winter.
Leaves are living structures and, like all living things, there
is a constant turnover of the material they are made of. Being exposed to
bright sunlight, while necessary for them to make
