4 Lessons from a Winter Tree

It happens every year. I’ve just retruned from a three week trip to visit friends and family for the holidays. The wacky, wonderful flurry of food, fun, and fellowship has ended, and the quiet descends on me like a blanket of winter snow. Post holiday blues? Fatigue? Too much of the wrong kind of food (and beverage) and not enough exercise and sleep? All of the above.

Through the years, I’ve learned the signs, and I know myself well enough not to panic. This year, I am inspired by the trees surrounding our holiday home in Indiana. Here are 4 things I’ve learned from winter trees:

Winter Trees

Two Poems by Debra VanDeventer

Sycamore trees across Lake Monroe photo by Debra VanDeventer

When I travel to the Midwest in the winter, I’m always inspired by the winter trees. Here are two poems from my recent trip.

Photo by Debra VanDeventer

Winter Trees

by Debra Van Deventer

ink-penned artist strokes

etched on watercolor skies

strong, still, beautiful

Photo by Debra VanDeventer

Bare Branches

by Debra VanDeventer

Ebony branches pirouette against ashen sky. Trees recently adorned in autumn’s glorious red, bronze and gold, now have nothing to hide.  In winter’s wrath, they reveal their bones, their foundation. Stoic columns rooted deep, stand tall. Limbs, strong and limber, dance in bitter winds. This is the true beauty of trees–not delicate buds of spring, nor luxurious summer foliage and fruits, not astonishing autumn coats −but bare branches unveiling the tree’s secrets.

Morning over Eagle Bay photo by Debra VanDeventer
Threads of thought icon

Threads of Thought

I used to dread winter, even moved to a warmer climate to avoid it, but on this trip I found beautiful images and words.

Look for somenting beautiful in this season where you live!