Natural appreciation

I look out the windows and enjoy the immense beauty of snow falling in the woods. We’ve had lots of snow in the last few weeks. We had more than 3 feet on the ground, and then had a couple days of thawing temperatures and rain. The snow went down about a foot and all the trees dumped. They looked so bright green, refreshed and clean.

 

It’s still thawing, but it is snowing again now. There is a light dusting of white on the trees again. I feel the heat from the wood stove at me back. I have some of my favorite music playing and I’m sitting here at the kitchen table writing. The thoughts go through my head faster than I can get them written down. So sometimes I pause to take notes to remind me of other things I want to write about.

 

The Christmas Tree Lights are still on, though it is not a dark day. During the many years of living up here in the mountains on Flume Creek Road without electricity, I gained a great appreciation for natural lighting, especially during the short winter days. When I designed this house I planned in a lot of windows. There are 5 big windows along the south spanning across the dining/living room area. It is all open so there are no walls to block the light.

 

There are many plants hanging from the ceiling, sitting on windowsills and on the floor. One amaryllis plant, which I have moved to the table, has a tall flower stalk. There are 4 buds and the first one is beginning to open today. I have loved amaryllis flowers since I first saw one, and I have collected many bulbs over the years, especially since my daughter’s father agreed we could name her Amaryllis. The plants always seem to do exceptionally well, and sometimes bloom more than once in a year.