Day 41 of 365 - In Appreciation of Trees
I live in a city that is called the Forest City, as sort of its brand name I suppose. There are a lot of trees here, and I have mostly lived in older neighborhoods that have very mature trees. Though there are mainly deciduous trees, there are also many evergreens. When I lived in houses I enjoyed the trees for their budding leaves in spring, their shade in summer, their beautiful colors in the fall. The evergreens have their own seasonal beauty too and look especially pretty in winter decorated by snow. At our last house we also had a cedar hedge around three sides of the back yard. It, along, with all the other surrounding trees was home to many birds. There are also lots of squirrels and raccoons in these old neighborhoods.
When we moved to our apartment in 2012, one of the reasons we chose this building was the location. It is in the same old neighborhood we lived in for many years. Also, it is situated on a large property that used to be a grand estate in days gone by. The front and side of this property is a large green space with many trees, both deciduous and evergreen. The two apartment towers were probably built where the estate home and outbuildings were located, set back and away from the street for privacy.
We were fortunate to get an apartment whose windows, both front and side, look out upon the green space and the trees. An additional bonus for me is having quite a different perspective of trees here. We live on the fifth floor. Because the trees here are mostly quite mature, they are this high or even taller. It's been a delight to me to be able to see more detail in the upper half of the trees because of our view.
From this vantage point, I get a very different experience of the growth and movement of the tree branches. Also, it's a delightful view of the bird and animal activity in the trees. I've gotten a better sense of which birds nest where and how they are territorial. The antics of the squirrels doing their acrobatic creeping out to tips of branches to nibble on buds, or leaping from tree to tree is quite entertaining.
I also get to see the changing colors of the sky through the upper parts of the trees and have become more aware of the layering of colors at sunrise and sunset. From my ground level view in previous homes, often this would be blocked by the canopy of trees.
Even when the deciduous trees are mostly bare, as they are now, there is beauty in the shape of the branches and the crown of the trees, and in the way they sway in the wind. At this time of year, and through the winter, the evergreens stand out in stark contrast.
I am so grateful to have had this new tree experience here. It's a lovely piece of nature right in the heart of the city. I can't imagine being content living in a building that just looks out on a parking lot or at another nearby concrete building. May I always have some trees outside my windows, wherever I end up living.
When we moved to our apartment in 2012, one of the reasons we chose this building was the location. It is in the same old neighborhood we lived in for many years. Also, it is situated on a large property that used to be a grand estate in days gone by. The front and side of this property is a large green space with many trees, both deciduous and evergreen. The two apartment towers were probably built where the estate home and outbuildings were located, set back and away from the street for privacy.
We were fortunate to get an apartment whose windows, both front and side, look out upon the green space and the trees. An additional bonus for me is having quite a different perspective of trees here. We live on the fifth floor. Because the trees here are mostly quite mature, they are this high or even taller. It's been a delight to me to be able to see more detail in the upper half of the trees because of our view.
From this vantage point, I get a very different experience of the growth and movement of the tree branches. Also, it's a delightful view of the bird and animal activity in the trees. I've gotten a better sense of which birds nest where and how they are territorial. The antics of the squirrels doing their acrobatic creeping out to tips of branches to nibble on buds, or leaping from tree to tree is quite entertaining.
I also get to see the changing colors of the sky through the upper parts of the trees and have become more aware of the layering of colors at sunrise and sunset. From my ground level view in previous homes, often this would be blocked by the canopy of trees.
Even when the deciduous trees are mostly bare, as they are now, there is beauty in the shape of the branches and the crown of the trees, and in the way they sway in the wind. At this time of year, and through the winter, the evergreens stand out in stark contrast.
I am so grateful to have had this new tree experience here. It's a lovely piece of nature right in the heart of the city. I can't imagine being content living in a building that just looks out on a parking lot or at another nearby concrete building. May I always have some trees outside my windows, wherever I end up living.
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