Keeping An Appointment with the Trees

I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow-birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines
— 1817 - 1862 Henry David Thoreau

All winter I've been working on a series of birch tree and landscape paintings, many of which I've started to post on this (newer version) website.   "Keeping an appointment with the trees" feels like a coming home statement to me.

When I was young I regularly sat beneath trees and communicated with them, quietly.  These things I kept to myself.  I kept up my visits with many trees in my life, returning to special ones in all the areas I lived.  How rich it has made my life.  All the simple gifts and rich treasures nature provides!   

So every week this winter I've been keeping an appointment with the trees.  It's been energizing and very fulfilling.  My latest series is one of several birch landscapes, three of which are now complete.