Naked trees



not so naked cause I'm a growing them fern things

 As you must know if you know me at all, I love trees. I love them all the year long and spend much time oohing and ahhhing depending on the time of the year. Spring of course is always great when trees that have flowers pop open and just watching the leaves bud can make a girl happy cause you KNOW that spring is in full swing. The fall is probably my most favorite time because the fall leaf colors are simply out of this world. My husband calls me the keeper of the leaves  because I collect leaves as I have mentioned to do arts and crafts. One of the aunties has even asked me if I am still "doing" that leaf thing.  Oh yes.... of course. I will never get tired of the beauty of fall leaves even as they are drying up. Sometimes what happens as they are drying up makes them much more interesting.
Now naked trees have been catching my attention this winter. As I drive around I find myself intrigued with not only the trunk of the tree, but how it's branches are, does it have moss and lichen or vines from some other plant, bird nests, left over leaves or berries??
The state government is very concerned with people texting and chatting on the phone while driving, but I have found myself much more distracted by all the glorious trees and stupendous colors of the fall leaves. I have had to be very careful not to get myself killed and just when I thought I was safe, well here are all of these very cool looking naked trees. What's a girl to do??
Bob and I went for a drive towards the end of December not too long after it had snowed to view some of the trees and open land. Heck, the big leaf maple in my neighbors yard that I can see from my bedroom window is just stunning.
I have been volunteering 2 days a week at the local hospital and every time I leave the parking garage I come across 4 trees in a row with some larger size berries on them that look cool. I do need to take my camera with me. I also need to take a walk to the end of the street where another neighbor has an old apple tree with a few apples still hanging in there. I just love the look of it for some reason I have yet to define.
Some of the trees have interesting little hideaways and I am certain that the fairies dwell there. Down one road out in the country there is a row of sycamore trees that line both sides of the road, and I am sure one of the trees held Rapunzel at one time or another. What creatures do they harbor, what birds are nesting there and who comes to visit???? The naked trees stand quietly and majestically keeping as many secrets to themselves as possible. This wood nymph wants to know them all.



big leaf maple from bedroom window



Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair

Starting a New Year

Well, it is still dark here as I sit down to write with the sun barely beginning to glance over the edge of my world. The barest of crescent moon is fairly low in the sky and I am wondering what the new year will bring.

Oops, gotta stop here for a few minutes. I brought the hummingbird feeders in after dark so they wouldn't
 freeze up, but my little buddies just whizzed by to let me know they are up and they are hovering in the places where they feeders usually hang.

Woodinville is aptly named because it is very woodsy without being in the mountains.Who knew just 20 minutes from Seattle on the freeway would be a tree heaven. I love that part and from the first moment that I saw Woodinville many, many years ago I wanted to live here. Because of the trees (and the clouds) we don't get to view the sunrise and sunset. We get some of the colors in the sky like this morning when it is clear. Just beautiful. That deep orangey-red glow peeking through the trees. Today will be glorious even though we still have a winter wonderland hanging out. If you drive 15 minutes away, there is no snow left to speak of.

I'm not a person to set New Year's goals. I try every day to live my best and it can't get any better than that in my mind. When I worked at Marriott Rewards they wanted everyone to set goals when they did their monthly phone call monitoring. That always stymied me because it was the same story. I told them to just pick one for me because my mind can't even think in the goal setting mind. I get up every day and go to work to do the very best I can on that day....and everyday.
There are always things I would like to be better at doing but right now nothing specific comes to mind.

Still I wonder, where is the world going this next year. Will it get worse, will it get better? What's in store for me and the people I love and care about?????
I know what I would like to have happen in 2011. More of the good things I already have. Then if the perfect job came along that allowed me to work part time so I could still take care of the dogs (Abby and Tika say "yeah mom, don't forget about us"), the house, Bob, and the time I spend with the horses, well, that would be awesome. To be happy and healthy are a part of that everyday thing, but I am sure there is room for improvement. The time and finances to go visit family living elsewhere and to maybe explore some new locale. Oooooh, where would we go???? Just fantasize here a bit, like if you could win the lottery and you would know exactly where you wanted to go. Okay......I'm going to go daydream here a tad as I finish my coffee.
Have a fabulous day today. May the New Year bring you much love, health, happiness, abundance, and hammock time for day dreams.

P.S.
You may have to set up your hammock indoors for awhile......it's kinda chilly out there.