Tag Archives: Nature

Germany

Seasons

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I took the scenic route on my way home from the bank yesterday, meaning that I strolled through town, turning a quick errand into almost an hour. As I walked, I took pictures of the blossoms I saw along the way, signs of spring here far too early.

This is in sharp contrast to the bitterly cold weather we had intermittently in December and January, and the two large snowfalls that had me going to work by bus rather than bike for days at a time.

I’m glad we took the opportunity to go winter hiking when there was snow on the ground and frost in the air.

I hope the little blossoms know more than I do, and I hope there are strong memories in their roots and soil, in their home. Will they be okay if winter comes again? As I breathed in deeply, a woman passing by assured me that the tree has always been a winter bloomer.

The weather was temperate when we went skiing last week, and then too warm, and now it’s cold again there. The seasons are certainly no longer as predictable as they were, but they were never all that predictable, at least where I grew up.

Yet, it’s different now. The air feels different. And we are far beyond the point of pretending not to notice.

On My Mind

Treehugger

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In the midst of, or perhaps to stave off, sudden emotional turmoil, I did what I often do to gather, collect, and find myself: I headed out into nature.

I had just wrapped my arms around a tree when a phone call came, one I had been expecting. I answered, telling the caller which bridge I’d just crossed and added that I was currently hugging a tree.

“He’s sleeping and will probably not hug you back,” came the reply.

“That’s okay,” I said. I love that trees are living creatures with rhythms.

Berkeley, California – June 2018

We set a meeting time and location and the call ended. I gave the tree one more gentle touch and walked away.

The next time out in nature that day, I was calmer, quieter in body though not quite in mind. We walked for hours and, among the sleeping trees, I began to feel better.

It was not lost on me that the fact that I’d been out hugging trees was treated as the most normal thing to do. The recognition warmed my heart and settled my mind, and by the time the walk ended, I was home.

Sequoia National Park, California – July 2023
Germany

Winter Wonderland

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There’s something really magical about the first real snowfall, despite the slow drivers on roads, icy bike paths, and bus delays. When it started to snow a couple days ago, my grade 11 class stood up as one unit and clustered around the windows, pressing their noses to the glass, taking photos. When my grade 7 class came in a few minutes later, they dropped their bags at their chairs and ran to the windows as well. To say the least, it was heartwarming to see the whole class, comprised of individuals who normally erupt into chaos upon being so physically close to one another, crowded in one line against the windows, looking out at the trees and rooftops.

The first snow is one of those moments where children see the environment in a totally new way, even though it happens every year, and where adults remember what it feels like to be children. Walking home from the climbing hall last night, a route I decided not to take with my bike due to my earlier encounter with unpleasant riding conditions, we sang quietly, “It’s snowing, it’s snowing, it’s snowing.” Our wonderland air was crisp and cold, fresh, winter.

On the way to school, again choosing to leave the bike at home, I walked under the sort of trees that inspire illustrations in children’s books and watched the red glow beginning on the horizon. As my first students came in for the day, we observed the parting of the clouds, the first rays of gold greeting red rooftops and the tallest tree branches. We don’t always see the sun in wintertime here.

Winter is the Earth’s opportunity to sleep, to rest and restore before coming alive again in spring. Rest and restoration is something we all need, and perhaps the short, dark days can be seen as a way of making the time and space for that. This is also a time to huddle close to family and friends, to warm the hearts, souls, and cold feet. We have visitors coming soon, the Christmas Market has opened, and fresh snow keeps us moving slowly, changing the way we structure our days.

It’s a beautiful time, winter, and I’m glad it’s here.