I love trees. Especially in the summer. I love the fresh green of the leaves and the shade they give us from the sun.
The two Chinese oak trees in the parkway strip in front of our house present a graceful outline through our arched picture window. We watch them as they change through the seasons--filigreed with pale green in spring, heavy with darker green folliage in summer, golden in fall and barren in winter. Not everyone in Los Angeles has a view of the changing seasons out their window.
We have even more large trees in our backyard, and they provide a shady haven for picnics or just sitting and sipping lemonade. They also give us big, creamy avocados for sandwiches and salads, and tangy, juicy grapefruits for breakfast.
Now that we have a grandchild, they enhance her play. She has a playhouse in the shade of the trees. A few months ago, they were showering her with tiny white flowers. Before she was many months old, we began to take her out on a quilt or hold her up under their boughs. She was hypnotized by the dappled light as they swayed in the wind.
As soon as she was able to walk, she began collecting leaves and distributing them to us--silky green and yellow, even dried, crackly ones. She seemed to love their colors, shapes and textures. We applaud her generosity in giving out her treasures, as well as God’s grace in providing such beautiful and graceful ornaments to our lives. |
