Mysteries in nature

Recently I have noticed several things happening around my trees. Last week I wrote about the icicles on the leaves. But why were the leaves still on the trees during the winter? Normally the trees are very bare but this year there seemed to be rather a lot of leaves still hanging on the branches although they were brown and crisp.

This week I took a closer look at the birch tree on the spare land behind my garden. There are signs of new growth but also there were last years fruiting catkins still on the tree. Is this normal I ask myself.

Have you noticed anything like this on the trees near you? Have any of you seen this kind of thing before? I find it fascinating that this kind of thing happens and wonder why. Does our current climate make this happen? One week it is bitterly cold and snowing, the next week it is sunny and mild. Nature must get confused sometimes. Do our actions make the climate change in this way or is it just part of the cycle of life? Please comment on this if you can either on FB or on the blog itself. Here is a photo of the birch I mentioned earlier.

The magic of nature

It has been a strange week, snow one day, then heavy rain, then sunshine and then it all repeated itself. But yesterday I decided to go to Leicester. I have not been for several years but I needed art supplies and now I have moved house it is much easier to get on the bus. I set off early and there was a mist rising over the villages in the valley. It was really beautiful and magical. I felt quite sad as we entered the outskirts of the city and the mist disappeared.

Leicester itself was busy and everyone hurried about in contrast to the country scene I had observed from the bus. No one seemed to have the time to stand still or stop and look at their surroundings. I do not like large towns and cities so I did my shopping quickly and went back to catch the bus. By now the mist had cleared most of the area although there were still a few patches. I love this landscape, small hills and valleys with tiny villages nestling in them.

My friend Simon has been taking photos for me of my grove of trees in Londonthorpe Wood which belongs to the Woodland Trust. We have been observing the changes through the seasons. One of the photos he has taken shows the autumn leaves still hanging on the tree despite the snow. But these leaves are encrusted with amazing tiny icicles glistening in the crisp air. The more you look at them the more you see so they are here for you today. Look around your garden or nearest green space and see what you can find to amaze you.

 

Spring feelings

Another wintry week has passed but you can feel that Spring is coming. There are hazel catkins dancing in the breeze; there are yellowy colours on the Willow tree and the sun gives us a little hint of warmth. You can sense the sap rising in the trees and if you go closer to the tree, sometimes you can hear a little whisper of something going on.

Spring gives us hope. The days are getting longer and although the weather is rather wintry, you can feel the changes that are on the way. It is hard to put into words, this feeling of hope and renewal but it is there for us all to feel and sense.

This week I lost a dear sister/friend. She will be greatly missed for her wisdom and knowledge. Over ten years ago she wrote about being on earth and gave her reasons for wanting to continuously reincarnate on this planet. She wrote ‘I am very clear that I have made a choice to continually reincarnate here and for the most part as a human, over and over again. I happen to love the Planet intensely. I love being human.’ I have written records of many of her discussions about various aspects of spirituality and her words give me hope too as our world appears to be collapsing into chaos. I wonder when she will be back again and what she will think about it all.

So, can you feel or sense the signs of the coming Spring?

And what are your thoughts on reincarnation?

 

 

Spring

I can see signs of new life everywhere, tiny shoots in the earth and now some larger shoots appearing. There are a few buds on the trees and one morning this week I watched two birds doing a kind of courtship dance. Unluckily for the male, the female flew off as she was not impressed!

Today is rather grey and cold, but yesterday and some other days, the sun has been shining and you can feel a little warmth which promises more warmth later. I love this time of year as it promises us so much and is so inspiring.

Have you noticed any signs of new growth around you? What have you seen? Have the signs you see inspired you?

Here is a photo of a group of bulbs showing their leaves now in my garden.