The Beauty of a Tree
Being offline much of December, it has been refreshing to catch up on all the beautiful nature-prompted posts from the end of the year. You have all inspired me to share my favourite part of nature, trees.
I am especially drawn to fir trees, and how they hold their shape and colour no matter the season staying steadfast and strong. Their pine scent is so alluring and fragrant that as soon as I catch it my breathing slows and deepens to inhale as much as I can.
They look so inviting, I imagine being able to climb into their branches for a long nap if they weren’t so prickly or sticky with sap. I have curled up at the base of a tree many times with a book or to have a rest on a hike.
I crave time in the trees where I can lovingly touch their branches as I pass by them. Often I stop and really examine their bark or knots and try to imagine what they have experienced over the years they have stood in the exact same spot.
Take the above tree for instance, half way up you can see where a woodpecker was looking for food, the bark splintered and falling off in patches. How many creatures have climbed atop of this beautiful flora or sought safety and shelter in it?
This tree I sat beside this for a long while admiring its rich texture, running my fingers along the different ridges and grooves while I admired the buds of new growth that appeared. Life goes on.
This view took my breath away that morning, the reflection of the trees and clouds in the water. Do you see how one tree has fallen and is laying across the lake? How long had it been there? How did it fall, did a storm break it or did it die of an illness? Do the creatures in the water enjoy their new wooden playground?
Not even nighttime or winter can keep me from exploring the woods. I love to snowshoe and find the forest feels completely different at night, the trees taking on odd shadows under my flashlight. This picture was from a night hike where the boughs were bent down under the weight of the snow, it almost looks alien.
Even when it’s pitch black and I cannot see them, I can feel their large presence around me and it’s comforting.
One of my favourite pictures of trees this year was the one you will see next. The way the sunshine beams down on this small tree in a tiny little waterway makes it look angelic.
This hike was significant for me because it was a hike I had a goal of undertaking for many years. Last summer I finally had the ability to take on the almost 25 kilometers of rocky and rough Canadian shield.
And what makes walking through the trees even more magical for me? Taking my best friend along for fresh air, lake water and plenty of squirrels to chase.
If you enjoyed this article you will definitely enjoy these other works by writers Marta Henriques, Monoreena Acharjee Majumdar and William J Spirdione
Thank you again Yana Bostongirl, Sahil Patel and Dr. Preeti Singh for including me in this lovely community!