When the temperatures drop, the number of hours of daylight shortens and a tree’s sugar intake is reduced, the leaves shine the most. We all marvel in the beauty of brilliant oranges, deep reds and bright yellow hues that the trees have been hiding under shades of green the entire season. Something about the changing of nature is awe-inspiring, filling us with peace, wonder and hope. Some of us even travel across state lines to experience it! Now our deciduous tree friends stand naked with only twigs and buds to show. That is if they’re not the oaks that have adapted to hold their leaves longer to protect their buds from frost and foraging—a process known in botany terms as marcescence. Inevitably they will fall and decay and give back to the soil in which their roots grow, living out their regenerative cycle. As poet Robert Frost beautifully wrote, “Nothing gold can stay.”
The leaves may have fallen, but the sacred land appears rejuvenated and alive after taking in the much-needed fall rain, giving roots a good drink before winter. Tree roots will continue to absorb water in the winter months, while conifers lose water through transpiration from their needles, so it is important for them to stock up going into winter. Dry Creek is once again as high as it was in the spring months, and the ducks are paying short visits as they migrate through, proving that animals will always go where there is water. We take notice of more hawks soaring above in the breezing fall updrafts, deer rubbing on young trees and invasive species still holding their leaves. The birds and butterflies have migrated south, the squirrels are well fed and stocked with their winter rations. Bees and snakes (yes, they are abundant!) are in their underground nests, and you yourself may be taking time to rest and recuperate from the long (or short) year past.
The gifts of energy and healing that our land provides are plentiful. What did you receive from Mother Earth this year? Perhaps fertile soil to grow your garden. Maybe you relaxed in the shade or stood in a cleansing spring rain. Perhaps you planted a tree to remember a loved one or removed that pesky invasive plant to make room for a native. As you take time to rest and practice dormancy with the trees, please be reminded to take in the beauty of a snow-covered pine and breathe in the crisp cold air. Winter can be a wonderful time to study trees—from their bark and buds to their structure and the nature in which they thrive. We can all find growth from what the land teaches us. Use this winter season to reflect on your time spent in nature. Is there more you want to do next year? Grow something from seed, plant that pocket prairie, collect seeds, journal, make the jam from berries or pie from the apple tree? Make those plans!
With the help of our foundresses, staff and volunteers, we have cultivated a strong relationship with the land around us this year. In planting over 500 native trees and plants to set root, burning prairies that thrive in the spring rain, growing produce to feed the hungry, and building community through friendship and sustainable practices—the land has enriched our spirits. We are thankful for your partnership and hopeful for a new year’s growth ahead. We hope to see you on the trails, deepening your spirituality by way of ecology. Finding peace in nature.
—Aaron Brewer
images of trees in winter by Becky Brooker & Jenifer Hanson