TREES

     I love trees! Especially this time of year, in the summer heat, with their leafy branches. A feeling of coolness, relaxation, and ease overtakes me when I'm sitting under a shady tree on a hot afternoon. The shade is delicious. It feels indulgent and rich. The patchy, filtered sunlight is exquisite, as is the mossy ground, the spreading roots, and the commanding trunk that rises up to the sky!
     A whole world exists beneath the trees. Think of pine forests! The fallen needles are soft, and cover the earth like a comfortable carpet. I love the carpet of pine that spreads beneath the trees... And willow trees are their own kind of wonderful! And birch trees! And grandaddy oaks with trunks so wide I can't get my arms around them. And cedar trees, dogwoods, and persimmons- apple trees, maple trees, and English walnuts!
     Let's celebrate the mysterious and wonderful variety of trees, and their beauty. Let's take a moment to say thanks for woods and landscapes and the breezy, leafy shade.

I notice the majesty of trees and feel grateful for the way they ground our world.