The Morning of the Naked Trees

One morning last week, as I drove back from taking the male offspring to the bus stop, I was struck by the outline of the winter bare trees against the deep blue of the just-before-sunrise sky.

I have written before about my infatuation with the simple beauty of "naked" trees.  On that particular morning it was almost strong enough to make me want to dig out a long neglected sketchpad, some pastels, and an artist's pen to see if I could recreate something which might come somewhat close to resembling the view I was enjoying.

Almost...

It did cause me to stop my car in the middle of our road to snap a few photos with my phone.

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New Every Morning

As the mornings have gotten cooler, I have missed sitting on my back porch in the mornings for my quiet time. 

Sitting out there in those early morning hours, it's easy to see the hand print of God. 

"They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." ~ Lamentations 3:23

You can see his work in the trees, the sunlight, the birds coming to the feeder.

You can hear it in the breeze, the bird songs, the soft clucking of the chickens.

Sometimes I can even feel His Spirit here with me.

God makes Himself known to us in subtle ways. 

He is always all around us - with us.  We just have to stop, look, and listen to feel Him there.

"Be still, and know that I am God" ~ Psalm 46:10

As Lovely As A Tree

I love trees in Winter.  "Naked Trees" I call them.  There is something about the beauty of the form.  Bare of leaves and visible.  It's like lace.  Like architecture.  As much as I love the Autumn (it is still my favorite season), I can't help but look forward to the leaves falling and revealing the natural beauty of the tree's structure which has been hidden beneath them all summer. 

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show. ~Andrew Wyeth