New Years Walk ...

On New Years morning I took a lovely walk in the woods at the Ivy Creek Natural Area. It was cold and crisp with an Arctic blue sky.

There were enough other humans about to keep the wild creatures at bay except for the squirrels, foraging for acorns which are extremely scarce this year, if the oaks produced them at all. The squirrels that I did see looked well fed so I imagine they are finding something to keep their bellies full. At my home, we have a few squirrels but not the numbers we've had in past years. They feed on the fallen seeds beneath my bird feeder which they cannot get into.

I love the neutral shades of winter, especially the bronze of the beech trees which hold their leaves all winter until the warmth of spring rouses their green buds. The oaks also refuse to give up their leaves til spring. Could it be they want no part of this long winter sleep we often compare to death?

At this time of year the greens of cedars, pines, along with our native hollies shine in the sunlight, reminding us of why they are favored for yule celebrations when the days are dark
and short.

***

I have started clearing away the piles on my desk and amongst the many lost and interesting things, I found the following quote which might serve all of us well in the days to come:

"To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable,
and wealthy, not rich;
to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages
with open heart;
to study hard;
to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently,
await occasions, hurry never;
in a word, to let the spiritual,
unbidden and unconscious,
grow up through the common-
this is my symphony."

William Henry Channing