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Seasons of the Forest

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The Forest: From Spring to Winter

           

One of my favorite places is the forest.  No matter what the season, forests always have something beautiful to offer, and a sense of veiled power and splendor that awaits those attentive enough to seek it out.  I have spent much of my life in and near forests, and have gradually come to admire their beauty and magesty.  Like the water, forests are conducive to meditation and deep thought.

            In early spring, the forest begins to awaken from its winter slumber.  As the ground begins to thaw, and the trees shake off their cumbersome layers of snow.  The smell of trees gives way to that of wet earth and damp soil.  Small animals peek out from winter dens and burrows, sniffing the air and awaiting the rays of early spring sunshine that signal their return to the green world.  Birds begin to migrate back to their green canopies, robins being one of the first to loudly herald the return of warmth and light.  By the waterside, frogs begin their nocturnal serenade, first peepers and then bullfrogs and American toads.  As winter reluctantly retreats for a time, green buds emerge from barren branches, and flowers begin to peek above their loamy hiding places.  All is green and young, permeated with the vigor and freshness of youth and rebirth.  The woods turn from brown to riotous green, and nature’s bounty spreads forth in a feast for the senses.

            As spring progresses and the world becomes green again, the forest begins to settle in for summer.  From buds come leaves and flowers, adding their fragrances and colors to the forest’s pallet.  Frogs give way to insects, whose chirping and buzzing serves as a constant reminder of the ever-present life that surrounds us.  As days lengthen and the sun rises higher in the sky, the trees come into full bloom, and their fruits begin to form in anticipation of autumn’s harvest.  Summer is a time for growing, for the forest’s full splendor to be unveiled and displayed.  As summer progresses, the birds settle down, leaving the forest in near silence.  In this almost silent time, one can almost feel the trees growing, drinking deeply of the earth and spreading their branches as if to welcome the sky.  April showers lead to the wildflowers of May and June, and the berries of late summer.

Autumn’s arrival signals the harvest of spring and summer’s bounty, but it also brings the forest’s colorful crowning achievement.  Leaves begin to fall, blowing and drifting into seas of bright color that are as vibrant as they are fleeting.  Oceans of green turn to seas of red and gold, and the smell of autumn leaves permeate the air, along with the smell of ripe fruits and pine.  Birds begin their winter migrations, their songs and sound a fond farewell to the warmth and beauty of summer.  The forest once again becomes nearly silent, save for the blowing of leaves and sighing of crisp winds.  Late autumn brings cold and bitter rain, but it also brings the long awaited harvest.  The growing and toil of summer yields fruits and crops, apples and corn and garden vegetables.  Autumn soon fades to winter, and the forest beds down for its long slumber.

In winter, the forest still retains its majesty, even without the color and vibrance.  Life is slow, much of it hidden, but the forest is not dead.  Pines and furs still retain their green needles, permeating the air with their soft scent.  Owls hoot in the darkness, and wind sighs through dried and barren branches.  Snow turns the forest from brown to white, bending the trees under carpets of white.  Ice forms over the waters, and all is stilled for a time.  As the outside world becomes embroiled in holiday madness, the forest calmly sleeps, awaiting the light and warmth of spring.

This yearly cycle has continued for uncounted ages, and shall continue long after all of us return to the earth from whence we came.  In the end, all arises from and returns to the forest.


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