If We Could..See Trees

Daily Note

Every day, a photograph, a poem.

Every day now I look forward to a slow walk with a running dog, zig zagging through the sagebrush in front of me, nose to the ground, checking all his messages.

Today we followed the deserted road [blocked by huge rocks to stop vehicles] up and around to look from above at Crescent Bay Lake and Crescent Bay. It’s another silvery, rainy, cold day. It should be snowing, but climate change changed all that [Shhh, some people don’t believe in science– you might get in trouble from the next president if you mention that if the next president is the former one]. 

Though the photos show a cold and dreary day, I enjoyed noticing the trees and how they grow as their silhouette of dark branches against the silvery background showed the pairing off of branches thinner and thinner until the final fingers reached the sky where, in spring, the leaves would bud and grow up to meet the blue light of the sky. It’s a wondrous thing, the growth and life of trees. I could stand and meditate on how each of these trees struggle through the drought of summer and still provide filtered shade for those of us who wander by.

All the while, Guthrie darted here and there around me, nose to the ground, capturing all the messages several animals left for him.

I look forward to spring, but I am thankful for this quiet moment of silent trees on the lake.

And so, a poem…

Poetry

If We Could

If we could
still our minds
slow the time
notice the lines
of dormant trees
one main branch
branches pairing off
reaching up in summer’s growth
towards the light of the blue sky
in winter now, the branches dark
against the steel blue of winter sky
of clouds and fog in layers hanging
reflected in the cold lake waters
outstretched arms up
thick to thin reach up
for buds in spring
their hope will bring
greens soon leafing
relieve our minds
we wait this time—
see this, we would.

Sheri Edwards
12.19.23 351.365.23
Poetry/Photography

#smallpoems #clmooc  #poetry23 #wintertrees 

Resources on Trees

• Woodland Trust: Tree Life Cycle
• Tree Hugger Hardwood Trees and How They Grow
• Someone even made an application to “grow your own grove” The Grove; the program is not free.