Snow Day

The snow started falling soggy and dense last night. We awoke to about 5 inches that quickly started falling from the treetops in large wet clumps! We lost two large oak trees to the weighty white stuff, the sound of splintering oak echoed out into the morning.
The almonds, plums, apricot and the willow are all budding out, oblivious to the winter around them. I must find and post the endearing poem about the willow being the first to dress for the party and the last to remove her hat at its end; meaning the sweet willow is at the starting gate in springtime, bursting out in light green leaves and furry seedlets, and after the pumpkin pies of Thanksgiving have been enjoyed and you are wrapping gifts for the holidays the blessed willow may still be holding on to some of her now dark green leaves. Amazing. I started my willow tree from a number of branches carried back in my suitcase on the plane from Minneapolis, MN. It was from a willow at my parents home, now over 40 years old, that my mother had also started from a branch!