Do you have a favorite tree? Recently while listening to a sermon, our minister referred to a tree on the edge of a field. 

Has this ever happened to you? That someone will say something and a whole experience unravels in your mind?

That's what transpired a few weeks ago. I saw myself with my daughter on our trip of a lifetime in Bali. We sat on our balcony that overlooked an enormous tree. In the morning we watched hundreds of birds rise up to the outermost branches and fly off for the day. In the evening, the birds would return back into the protection of the branches for the night.

This is a tree that I return to, in my mind, often. It's now become a symbol for how important deep roots are, as well as branches that reach skyward. As we age, trees can become symbolic for us. We want to stand tall, and weather storms. We want to be a refuge for others and to stand tall, to support ourselves, and others. We expand our horizons. 

Reading...

We all play a major role in creating sustainable habitats for plants and animals. As the world opens up again, find sanctuaries to breathe and hold natural, sacred space. 

June is a magical month for flowers. Did you ever, as a young person, stand next to a peony bush and watch the ants work their magic on a peony bud? The buds are a food source for the ants and the peony is protected from other sap-feeding insects. This is a form of mutualism in nature. 

When the peony blooms, the scent draws one in. Each petal is a velvety layer of beauty, ever-expanding until an early summer rain causes the flower heads to droop, thus ending their magnificent, annual display. 

Don’t delay. Watch nature’s fashion show through the summer. Driving around town, I just noticed my first roses blooming in various gardens. The new color appears, seemingly out of nowhere. Bees gather the rose nectar and pollen. 

Pay attention as the floral world...