maple trees wearing spring garments
Over the past few weeks I’ve been watching the Maple trees slowly turn red. Funny how some trees start out their Spring dressed in vibrant colors, changing into their summer green, and returning to their splash of color for fall. Almost makes me think trees have a celebration for their annual rebirth and another when the work is over and it’s time to take a winter’s rest.

There’s a small set of woods in one of the pastures I pass on my last 1/4 of a mile home. The group of trees draws your eye because over the years cattle have kept their undersides all trimmed to the same height.

There are several Maples in the pasture and I’ve gauged their progress from the first hint of red to the full blown color they have now. Actually to be honest I made myself keep track of their progress.

One evening as I was coming home, I looked over at the little set of woods and noticed the first blush of color. My mind begin telling me Spring is just around the corner—you better get yourself in gear, start worrying about the garden, get some cleaning done around the house, make sure the girls school year is going to end well, pull out all the summer clothes and put up the winter clothes. In other words, my first reaction of wonder over the blush of Spring turned into a to-do-list that made me feel crazy. Who knows why, but I suddenly thought I’m not going to worry about all that stuff it will get done somehow it always does, but I am going to look at those trees every day and I am going to enjoy them putting on their Spring clothes like I have never done before. And you know what? I have.

Tipper

 

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21 Comments

  1. Maple trees are one of my favorite trees.
    I don’t have any here on the farm, mostly cedar, pine and oak trees.
    Good luck getting that spring list accomplished.

  2. Thanks for the great posts Tipper and B.Ruth.Ecc.3 has been on my mind alot this week. My dad is very ill in Chattanooga and the pear trees are in glorious full bloom. The circle of life in all it’s beauty and sadness has not been lost on me. Very bittersweet.

  3. Tipper,
    Its a good feeling seeing every-
    thing budding again. This winter
    has ’bout had me hollaring calf-
    rope with all the snow and cold
    just like it was when I was in
    grammer school. Maybe this spring
    and gardening will cheer us all
    up again…Ken

  4. I so look forward to the maples blooming every year. It’s become especially important since I have had bees but it always gives me a very definite relief as we get out of the winter blahs. I too am celebrating the maples as they dress up!

  5. I like B.Ruth’s post- says just how I feel about it. I like to sit outside on my porch and enjoy- and be still and know He is God.

  6. I’m glad you got that bus turned around. It is hard work for me to just enjoy the lovelies and surprises of spring because it is the one season that just seems to crush and incriminate, but I sure do try. Yesterday I spent a great deal of time marveling over many things, mostly spring bulbs, but Bet took me way out back to make an outlet in the beaver dam and we had a good time coming through the woods to see the various stages of bud all the different things were in. Then, while Dirt and I were running our new water pump out in the Market Garden I spotted a nest of kildeer eggs! Now if I can only remember where they were, I lost them in just the minute it took to call Dirt over to see them. Luckily I had my camera in my pocket.
    Happy Maple Rebirth!

  7. isn’t it amazing how our minds jump from something we see to that list of to do’s. these trees are gorgeous, i love trees and they make me celebrate no matter what time of year it is or how they have dressed themselves. poor you, that is a LOT to do.

  8. Sure have not seen that yet but I can only hope it is soon.
    Whitetail Woods™
    Whitetail Woods Blog / Deer Hunting and Blackpowder Shooting at it’s best.

  9. Tipper, I think that is how to live a long, long, time…and I KNOW it’s how to enjoy the time you have!

  10. Momma used to say about things that seem to crowd up on a person and overwhelm them, “Don’t worry about it, there will be another day, and if there isn’t then NOTHING will matter!”
    Also, there was a lady that went to our church some years ago and one Sunday everything bad that could happen happened, her car quit, her stove went out, water heater didn’t work that day etc.. She then smiled and said something that I remember to this day. She said, “Sometimes when things pile up and it seems that I’ll never get everything done or fixed, I just remember that no matter how hopeless it seems, things have always had a way of working themselves out.” You know, one doesn’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that. Was she a smart lady or what?
    Bradley

  11. Tipper,
    Great advice, we should all take the time to enjoy nature and it’s beauty. Let’s all look at every season this way. As you and Ruth both said, all those other things we clutter our minds with somehow always get accomplished and fall into place. We all need to love and enjoy EVERY day.
    Have a great weekend!
    Tom
    PS We received the CD I won on here and we all love it! It has not been taken out of the player and is now our favorite. Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful gift!

  12. Tipper; You reminded me of me. On the crest that runs along Jewell Mason Rd., Our little house faces Peter Young Mountain, and from my front office window I watch Ole Peter change his clothes as the seasons change. It’s quite a sight.
    From my home, looking to the south, there is a pasture where the land slopes down to Lake Nottely, about a half mile, before jumping straight up the north face of Peter Young Mtn.
    There is a scattering of maples in this pasture, and they are all putting on the show you write about.
    Another sight for me is the rising mist coming up that slope, from the lake which is hidden in the valley below.
    I lived in the deep south, for most of my life; with little change in foliage through the seasons, where most of the trees are pines, so this transfiguration of the trees in these mountains is a unearned recompense after the long, hard winter past.
    Though we may see more of Old Jack Frost, these first hints of things to come are God’s way of reminding us that the springtime revival is not far behind.
    With this display of His unwavering love, I also experience a quickening in my old bones. It’s a new year, and one more opportunity to do some good thing for my fellow man.

  13. Ahh a breath of spring air. We are not quite there yet with our trees here in PA, they are still as baren as can be but I can see a few little sprouts of green popping up on my garden lillies & hosta. Won’t be long now:)
    Stacey
    SWPA

  14. Yep, stop and smell the coffee, roses or maple leaves — whatever makes the day more enjoyable, just do it. The work stuff will always be there.

  15. Sometimes we DO just have to make time to enjoy those simple things because life gets in our way!
    I was getting back from taking my daughter somewhere last night and happened to look up and see how pretty all the stars were up in the sky. It suddenly hit me that I hardly ever look up at the night sky anymore, I am usually busy just getting from point A to point B, I never bother looking up! I remember just laying outside as a child and staring up for what seemed like hours.
    I have decided that I need to just go out on nice nights and look up. We miss so many beautiful shows going on around us every day, suns and moons and stars and flowers. Sometimes, we just have to make time to enjoy what is free and around us every minute. Just “let the rough edges drag” as mama used to say, and just go and do something to feed our souls.

  16. Tipper,
    To everything there is a season, and A time to every purpose under the heaven:
    Ecclesiates 3:1-8
    One of my favorite passages….and
    today I am going to love and enjoy the day…as there is a time for love, work and play…and it will fall into place…
    Have a great day…

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