230. He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter… ~John Burroughs

by

13

Nature looks dead in winter because
her life is gathered into her heart.
She withers the plant down to the root
that she may grow it up again fairer and stronger.
She calls her family together
within her inmost home to prepare them
for being scattered abroad upon the face of the earth.
~Hugh Macmillan

Image

This time of year there’s a separateness in the garden which I rather like, but I’ve heard others say that they detest the bleak lifelessness of winter.  When asked why, they’ll tell me it’s because it fills them with a sense of loneliness or it speaks too strongly of death.  I, on the other hand, find a comforting orderliness in its realm because I can see the garden’s defining lines again after they’d been blurred or even obliterated in some cases by summer’s reckless, spreading abandon.   And when I’m out working in the winter garden as I was today, I don’t feel any sense of sadness; the feeling I get is more of a silent, but willing withdrawal–a retreat back to a trusted, reviving source.  It seems to me that the barren remains stand self-assuredly in an awareness of Creation’s ever-faithful, annual renewal and somehow understands winter’s lesson of waiting with expectancy and hope.

As long as earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.  ~ Genesis 8:22  ✝

13 thoughts on “230. He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter… ~John Burroughs”

  1. Pingback: 230. He who marvels at the beauty of the world in summer will find equal cause for wonder and admiration in winter… ~John Burroughs | Sacred Touches

  3. The drawing back over winter is a lot like New Year, a chance to wipe the slate clean and come back better. It’s full of promise of things to come. Enough to keep me going through the cold, grey days.

    Like

    Reply

    • Oh me too, Jessica. There’s an excitement in the air that says lovely things are coming! I’m like a kid waiting for Christmas this time of year. I was in my greenhouse yesterday putting some bulbs in pots and it was so exciting just thinking about what the work of my hands and His would bring in the next few months.
      Blessings, Nataiie 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  5. Even on a gloomy winter’s day, there is hope ahead. And, time to get some things done that I wouldn’t be doing if the sun was high and warm. Have a wonderful winter’s day, Natalie. It does really make us appreciate the wonder and beauty of each season even more… Love, Bette

    Like

    Reply

  6. I can’t say I love winter (and I won’t) but there’s so much life and beauty on even the bleakest days and I think being a photographer helps you to see things much more.

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.