The fall weather and changing leaves reminds me of a ginkgo tree that was very special to me.

In my book Finding My Invincible Summer I write about the towering ginkgo trees on Corcoran Street where I lived in Washington, D.C. They lined both sides of the street for five blocks, casting cool shade in summer on narrow turn-of-the-century homes and cheering us in autumn with their bright yellow leaves. I’m guessing they were at least 60 feet tall and some of their trunks were nearly 3 feet acro...