“Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
JEREMIAH 17:7–8
Leafy forests have an exquisite beauty all their own. In the summer, branches full of green leaves spread out against the sky. Breezes whisper gently among the leaves. Squirrels run and leap from branch to branch. Birds trill and call, many of them hidden in the foliage. The green canopy provides cool space, sheltered from the sun. Ferns grow beneath the trees. Ivies run up the trunks and along banks. Moss covers rocks and logs. It is an enchanted place.
Autumn brings a transformation to vibrant shades of red, gold, and orange. Temperatures cool. In the morning, the frost forms delicate patterns on the leaves. Everyone prepares for winter: squirrels gather seeds and other food, people cut firewood. Fallen leaves crunch underfoot until rain and fog dampen and quiet the woods.
Winter is a starker season. Tree branches are bare, revealing birds’ nests that had been hidden by foliage earlier in the year. The nests sit empty now, the fledglings gone. On foggy mornings, tree trunks stand out dark in the mist. When it snows, all is covered except the trunks.
The year turns again to spring. The rains are gentle. Leaves bud on the branches. It’s a noisy season, with streams running high and birds raising their young. Everywhere there is new life: flowers blooming, fish spawning in streams, and fox kits starting to explore. Life is renewed, and the cycle continues.