The Trees of Winter
Every year what budded in autumn now blossoms full blown in winter. Trees that were drop-dead gorgeous in their fall colors are now bare, with the exception of evergreens and a few stray deciduous trees that refuse to relinquish their leaves. Now the trees are stripped down to their souls and their souls sing a siren song to the universe.
The tops of trees lift my spirit; brushlike they paint the sky the baby pinks and blues of mornings, and the majestic magentas and violets of day’s end. Each tree has its signature shape against the sky, like a fingerprint or a snowflake, similar yet each unique. Some treetops in their bare state are shaped like a fancy coiffure; others look like wrought iron filigree. On distant mountains, against the snowy ground, some look like stubble on an old man’s unshaven face.
The colorful winter sky shows through, showing off bare branches. The curvaceous branches are stark, dark lines against the bright of day and the inky sky of night. These resplendent creatures are living lines that explode. Branches tangle like the lines in a Jackson Pollock painting. Others curve in the sensuous lines of a Brancusi sculpture. Buxom tree trunks stand strong surrounded by their dead blossoms and their burgeoning offspring like a Renaissance Madonna. In truth these trees are not like art at all. Rather art imitates them– their beauty provides the timeless inspiration for artists, writers and poets of all ages and styles.
Trees not only inspire, they themselves are paragons of diversity. One look out of a car window while driving on the Taconic and one can see squat pines alongside towering majestic firs, birches interspersed with maple and oak. And together the different brown and tan barks interspersed with evergreens create not only a mosaic of contrasting colors, but display an example to inspire humans to live together in peaceful unity.
These beneficent beings carry the heavy, dark grey clouds of winter. When it snows the tree trunks become canvases for the abstract patterns of windblown-snow, while the serpentine branches are outlined in white. In ice storms their branches become chandeliers, each enveloped in glassine ice, tinkling in the wind. While in the cold melancholy of a winter rain, the branches become oiled skins of snakes weeping to the ground below. And finally, in the night sky, the branches hold the stars in their arms, those with leaves holding them in their hands, as they nurse the moon.
All trees, no matter what their species, age or height, stand tall in proud humility, their arms reaching up to the heavens to the source in prayer– soft-spoken beings of peace and tranquility towering over us, as we the wee creatures race around distractedly below in our little lives.
MOONSIDE 
Awesome ode to trees! Pictures are beautiful. The first one is the most I like.
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January 16, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Thank you so much, Alexander. I think I like the first one best, too.
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January 16, 2026 at 3:25 PM
Have a nice weekend, Ellen 🙂
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January 16, 2026 at 3:57 PM
You, too, Alexander! Somehow they inscribed me from your blog. I resubscribed.
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January 16, 2026 at 5:15 PM
It happened many times to me with my subscribers. Word Press is not really good with that. I am glad we are in touch.🙏
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January 16, 2026 at 9:37 PM
Me, too. 🙏🏽
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January 16, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Fabulous images! You painted a beautiful picture of these majestic towering plants with your reflections.
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January 16, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Oh, thank you, Nancy! You’re so kind!
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January 16, 2026 at 5:18 PM
You’re welcome! 😁
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January 16, 2026 at 9:06 PM
🙂
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January 16, 2026 at 9:29 PM
A very soulful post with amazing pictures, Ellen. Somehow in alignment with my next Sunday post. Thank you for sharing. It enriched my day. Light, love, and blessings your way, dear friend, always!! ✨💖🙏🍀
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January 17, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Your commment made my morning, Susana! So glad you found my post “soulful” and that somehow it connects with your post. Many good wishes to send you! 🥰🙏🏽
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January 17, 2026 at 9:12 AM
The beauty of the trees, combined with the wisdom of your words, is a reminder of the wonder and delight of what trees are for us–gifts from the Lord of wonder and beauty.
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January 17, 2026 at 9:54 AM
Thank you, Dayle.
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January 17, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Absolutely beautiful essay on winter, the sky, and especially the trees. Your words describing these magnificent structures give me a greater awe and respect for trees, so beautiful in very season. Indeed, art imitates nature, and no piece of art can be more valuable compared with the beauty and essence of nature. Thank you for this inspiring post, Ellen!
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January 17, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Thank you so much, Dee, for your lovely thoughts on my post!!
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January 17, 2026 at 7:39 PM
How lovely are your descriptions. Today we are looking at the tress covered with snow. It is quite beautiful – although we can’t go anywhere! Ah, well. HOpe all is well with you. Love, Lana
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January 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Yes, it IS so beautiful but we are homebound. Good to hear from you. Hope you’re both well!
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January 18, 2026 at 11:37 AM
I’ve been letting the worry about our hemisphere get to me and so, am late in commenting. After reading your beautiful ode to winter trees the other day, I looked out my window at night and noticed their silhouettes against a cloud and ultramarine sky. Each one seemed to have a different personality, defined by its shape. I think I’ll have to do this tree gazing again tonight, as a sort of salve to the sole. 💙
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January 20, 2026 at 2:26 PM
What a lovely comment, Julie!! I am sorry you have been so upset about what’s going on. So have we. It keeps getting worse and worse. I am so glad my post inspired you to do tree gazing. I really miss it. Each one does have its own personality. Keep doing it. And let’s hope something will happen to change this awful course we are on!! Thank you, Julie!! ❤️
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January 20, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Yes, lets hope or better yet visualize it. 🙏
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January 22, 2026 at 11:05 AM
YES!
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January 22, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Wonderful 👌👌
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January 23, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Bahut, bahut dhanayawaad, Prit🙏🏽
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January 23, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Ellen, this is absolutely beautiful 🌿✨ I read it slowly, lovingly, and felt myself crossing into a quieter, wiser space with every paragraph. Your descriptions are so vivid they feel alive—trees as prayer, as philosophy, as humble teachers 🌲💫 I agree deeply with your reverence: stripped bare, they reveal truth, strength, and unity. Your words remind us to pause, look up, and remember what really matters. This is impressive, soulful, and deeply respectful of nature’s wisdom. Please keep writing—your voice nourishes 🌙💙
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February 2, 2026 at 10:46 AM
Dear Krishna, Bahut, bahut dhanayawaad! You have no idea what your words mean to me. I am happy my words touched you. But as for keeping up writing, my well seems to be dry. I am mostly homebound in New York City and missing nature very much. It was my deep connection. You have made me think though… perhaps I can write about other things. Thank you for the encouragement!! ❣️
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February 2, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Dear Ellen, thank *you*—truly ❤️🙏 Your words mean a lot to me. Wells don’t dry up; they rest. Even longing, stillness, and missing nature are rich soil 🌱✨ New York has its own quiet poetry waiting to be noticed—in windows, skies, memories, breath. Write gently, without pressure. Whatever comes will be enough. I’m grateful for your trust and your beautiful spirit 💫❣️
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February 2, 2026 at 10:58 AM
Dear Krishna, I am so grateful to you for your words which are precious to me. You’ll never know how much. I should be inspired by your we writing about everything. Facing a dental surgery tomorrow and your words give me courage. My husband will be there, too. As I recover I will think about writing about something else. Nature so inspired me so naturally but I must think more broadly. With your comments today, I will.
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February 2, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Beautiful scenes. It is a law of nature that one leaf falls and another leaf grows in its place.
Just as that leaf faced every season, humans also face many problems in the same way. Some people stand firm and show heroism, but some do not face it and break down.
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February 3, 2026 at 7:10 AM
Thank you, Praveen, for your insightful thoughts!
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February 3, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Welcome my friend .
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February 5, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Welcome dear friend ☺️☺️.
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February 3, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Welcome my dear friend ☺️🙏.
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February 3, 2026 at 12:39 PM
😊
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February 3, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Good morning dear friend 🌞🌞 wish you a Lovely day☺️.
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February 3, 2026 at 11:01 PM
And you a lovely evening!
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February 4, 2026 at 8:55 AM
I am very lucky to have a friend like you .☺️☺️
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February 4, 2026 at 11:43 AM
Well, as an old lady having a young friend is a blessing.
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February 4, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Age is just a number my friend. Enjoy the life.
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February 4, 2026 at 10:32 PM
You are an old soul. I am blessed by your words. I have another young friend, also Indian, also an old soul. We worked together long ago and we got back in touch. She is a beautiful friend with family and all in the US And another young friend in Lucknow who adopted me as Grandma in his family. I am blessed also with a loving husband. God has been good to me. I recently restarted a study of Kriya Yoga with Paramahansa Yogananda and the Self-realization fellowship. It is very different from your meditations and quite challenging but definitely worth the effort. Thank you for your thoughts. Ellen
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February 5, 2026 at 9:21 AM
You are like my mother to me. And I respect you. In India, mothers are revered more than God. And if I ever get a chance, I will definitely meet you. You too, consider me your son and always keep your hand on my head. I pray to God for your long and healthy life.
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February 6, 2026 at 2:26 AM
That’s a very generous comment. Thank you. Of course, I keep a hand upon your head. Please don’t pray for a long life for me. Pray for an enlightened one and for a long life for my husba]nd. Thank you.
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February 6, 2026 at 9:44 AM
Hello dear I wish your husband a long life and you a healthy life. 🤗🤗
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February 6, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Thank you!
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February 7, 2026 at 10:31 AM
My friend, my soul is still very young and will always remain so. I am very happy to have you as my friend. I will meet you next time you come to India.☺️☺️
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February 5, 2026 at 1:06 PM
When someone says you have an old soul it means you are wise beyond your years– not that you are aged in any way. I thought you might be but I don’t know you well enough. I thank you for your friendliness. 😊
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February 5, 2026 at 8:33 PM
My friend, thank you very much for explaining the meaning of “old soul.” Yes, I am still 37 years old. I know one thing: even after 50 years from now, I will remain young. Our bodies grow old, but our minds should never grow old. I have controlled my mind to a great extent.
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February 6, 2026 at 2:05 AM
So being an old soul is a compliment. I believe it means you have learned much because you have reincarnated as a human many times over and so are wise beyond your years. Our minds change as we grow old. We may forget things more, even a healthy mind, but we have, hopefully acquired some wisdom, too. I wish I had the brain I have now when I was twenty. I am learning much even now. I could not memorize vocabulary to learn Hindi, although I tried to.
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February 6, 2026 at 9:35 AM
I made a small mistake white writing. What I meant to say was that our body grows with age but the soul remains the same. The power to learn and remember diminishes with age.
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February 6, 2026 at 12:51 PM
How poetic and inspiring! Thank you, Ellen.
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February 7, 2026 at 4:18 AM
Thank YOU, dear Ubit!!
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February 7, 2026 at 10:45 AM
How wonderful! Yay for Mother Nature and all her beautiful trees! Linda xx
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February 11, 2026 at 12:15 AM
Thank you, Linda! Hope you’re okay!Ellen
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February 11, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Today’s a good day – thank you Ellen! 😁
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February 11, 2026 at 9:55 PM
Glad to hear it!
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February 12, 2026 at 8:45 AM