The general scene outside my window these days is rather gray, or should I say brown. When viewed at a glance, the landscape is admittedly a bit dull. Yet take a closer look, and the lack of green, of flowers and foliage is actually a blessing in disguise.
You see, without all the traditional beauty, another form is revealed, that of the structure and pattern behind the pretty petals.
The inner workings of a sunflower are in fact works of art once the seeds are gone.
While pine needles reach their prettiest shade of green.
Little bits of leaves that never fell, highlight the intricate pattern of contrasting bark.
And remnants of a once breathtaking bloom, find a beauty all their own.
I love winter for many reasons. Delicate snowy landscapes doted with lights, icicles hanging from houses, and the way daylight fades into night. Yet some days, when I'm really paying attention, I love that brown landscape even more. Because within the drab and dreary, lay the intricate and beautiful structures that are the foundation of summer gardens to come.
~ Jordan
* Last time in Nature: Science in Sunsets
