This morning I got up and immediately looked outside, as is my practice, something I never did when I lived in the city. We live in the woods now along with the deer, squirrels, birds and a myriad of other animals. We are just a couple of the creatures that inhabit these woods, and not even the most significant. Here we are all equal. We all appreciate and enjoy our environment. We are all grateful to live in such a beautiful place. We all breathe, eat, and walk here among the trees. And, when we are tired, we sleep among the trees. The squirrels are the only ones who never seem to run out of energy. Each day I get new appreciation of the world around me. The beauty in each season is staggering. Even in the winter, there is much to love. The bare trees have a certain grace. I could paint the bare trees forever. The branches follow a pattern long ago determined and weave a tapestry of their own. It is complex in the way they break off into smaller and smaller branches going in this and that direction. But, it is simple in the way the branches reach out and up toward the sky. It is a beautiful mosaic that I cannot seem to stop looking at. Today, I will start a painting with this theme. I can’t wait to get to my easel and see what happens.
