The Solstice Tree

Last Sunday, amidst the craziness of the Holiday Rush, we found a moment just before sunset to revel in the falling leaves of our neighbors beautiful tree. It finally dawned on us, after 4 years of watching the leaves change color and then fall, that this tree always drops its leaves on or very close to the Winter Solstice. It was a brief and wonderful moment for us. Somehow knowing that connection calmed my soul just for a short time, until I had to go back to the marathon of Christmas work ahead of me. The funny thing is, for a few weeks now, I kept looking at that tree and wondering when the leaves would turn and go. That morning as I drove away to the Farmers Market, I noticed the color had changed a bit, and when we got home 5 hours later so many of it's first leaves had dropped. I tried my best to capture the beauty I was seeing in these images, but looking at them now, they barely look like it did at the time...





We came back to that tree again on Christmas Day. More images..





Looking back to last week, as some of you know, Christmas was hard for me this year, on top of all the work it took, lack of sleep, and a monthly visitor, I had a major meltdown, and I was not myself during Christmas Eve, and Morning. It all just seemed to be way to much for me to handle. But, their were very small moments that brought me out of it, the solstice tree, family and friends that helped me through it, and of course the pure joy and happiness, and laughter that came out of Chloe and Blake. I am glad its over, but thankful for the many blessings I have, and the extra sleep I have been catching up on! Soule Mama could not have described the feelings of the Marathon of the Holidays better in her merry merry post. Check it out.