It was bound to happen, warmer weather has made its presence known in these parts. We’re still in spring mode, thank goodness, so let’s just get the most we can out of what is a wonderful time of the year.

I have been visiting many of my tree friends this past month. It’s hard to stay away from these kings and queens of the landscape when they start showing their awakened state from the long, cold winter months. I am not using the word “friends” with any hyperbole. I do consider trees our friends. I just happen to put additional effort into getting to know some on a more personal level.

To watch trees go through the seasons and continue to come back year after year is nothing short of inspiring, at least for me. But then, everything in nature has that effect on me, I guess.

April is the month for the early bloomers. None more noticeable than the Redbud around these parts. There are a few other ornamental types like the crabapple, pear, plum, and more varieties of “city dwelling” trees that do their blooming in April as well, but none seem as untamed and natural as the Redbud. They too can be found in manicured landscapes, but they thrive in nearly all natural woodland areas as well. One of the most notable colors in the still darken mostly leafless woods. When you see the color, you immediately know its a Redbud.

The “untamed” part seems to add a level of work when it comes to photographing them. Many are in heavily wooded areas. You can spot them through some of the heaviest woodlands due to their tendency to bloom before most other trees begin to leaf out. Their bright magenta / purplish/ pinkish blooms light up the dark, dense forest that surrounds them.

They are wonderful to see this way, but making a compelling photo that does them justice is not all that straightforward. But one does not succeed by not trying just because something is difficult.

Stormy and I spent many hours out in the woods this past month. I did happen to capture a few new photos of Redbuds, along with a few other springtime delights. But even if no pictures were made, we made some good memories, which is always the goal of anything we do.

I will chalk up the month of April as a big win for us.

As we grow, change, and age throughout life, we see and experience our world differently. These changes take place through experiences, surroundings, choices in where and how we live, conversations, and even books we read. Along with the array of life alterations we encounter.

How many look at the world outside of the human experience to find ways (better ways) to live?

My guess would be not many. Not many people will look at plants and animals in search of bettering their own unique human experience.

I believe we miss great opportunities by being personally consumed with “our” life. To the point where other lives can no longer provide a glimpse into living a fuller, deeper, more in touch life with the world that provides the only life we have ever known.

What if we took some advice from trees on living better? What can we learn from trees? Could they, or other forms of life, provide positive insights into our own lives?

The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing which stands in the way… As a man is, so he sees.
~William Blake

The Hidden Life

One reason that many of us fail to understand trees is that they live on a different time scale than us. One of the oldest trees on Earth, a spruce in
Sweden, is more than 9,5000 years old. That’s 115 times longer than the average human lifetime. Creatures with such a luxury of time on their hands can afford to take things at a leisurely pace.

This is but a single example of the uniqueness of trees. They communicate, they even care for one another. In some cases nourishing the stump of a felled tree for centuries after it was cut down by feeding it sugars and other nutrients, and so keeping it alive.

These are just a few interesting details about trees gathered from the pages of, The Hidden Life of Trees, by Peter Wohlleben.

We have many more delights yet to come as we move through seasons. There is only one way to truly enjoy all the changes taking place in nature. Get out, take a walk, long or short. Take your time, look at the trees, listen to the birds, and feel the life that surround you.

Photography is a way of connecting with the world and experiencing it in a personal way.

“In some Native languages, the term for plants translates to “those who take care of us.”
― Robin Wall Kimmerer,

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants

For just $2, you can support our work in sharing positivity through thoughts, insights, and pictures. Buy Me A Coffee lets you give a one-time tip to me and Stormy easily. Every donation is accepted with gratitude.