This morning I had a short visit with a beautiful beech-friend. 

An open mouthed bark-creature was about to catch a flying-morsel.

Nearby, fantastic buds-a-bursting.  💚 Peace

It was an emotional tree-hug this morning.  Today is the 1 year anniversary of my first posted tree-hug!  And yesterday we had our second vaccine dose, a huge relief!  What started out as a fun way to let friends know I was sending hugs turned into a year-long transformative journey on many levels.

This picture is of my first tree-hug a year ago.  This year I couldn't wait to climb inside for a hug.

I appreciate my husband's support and encouragement.  It was his idea to make this a year long goal.  I also appreciate all of you that watched and shared your reactions and thoughts.  You kept me going.

It was a year of revealing myself in ways I never have before.  I learned how to take risks and  trust my way of seeing and thinking.

I became more flexible. Like being okay walking in the rain, going out on super cold mornings, snow-shoeing through feet of snow, going off trail.

I experienced healing and comfort and guidance from my tree-friends and nature.  

I learned so many new things.  My curiosity grew.  My heart expanded. Trees are not just trees to me anymore.  Even my backyard feels different.  I am grateful I had the opportunity and ability to make this difficult year so special.  Now I am ready to shift gears. This is where the emotion come in.  It's time to step back and take in the totality of what I've done, 10's of thousands of pictures, all of the different tree-beings and bark-beings, tree-greeters, dancers and angels.  All of the stories and messages are calling me to see them as a whole. 

What a glorious bright morning for a tree-hug.  

It was a thrill looking up and seeing the canopy of spring-red buds.

A lovely lithe-tree lady posed with a perfect background.

While a hard working-tree man looked out with wonder.  His world in the midst of change.

Tree-cheers and celebration for the light and spring's colorful-budding.  

Almost hidden in the rough textured trunk I discovered a barbed wire-strand from long ago embedded.  Consumed by the tree-body.  

And just feet away a weathered post wore remnants of the long abandoned thorned fence with its unlucky captive woodling.  Message:  As best you can release yourself from past restraints.  A time of new growth is at hand.  Celebrate the hard earned freedom.  💚 Peace

The rain began to fall during this morning's tree-hug.  Glad we brought our umbrellas along.  

Graceful flowing-trunks long ago adapted to subtle changes around them.

Dressed handsomely in one-of-a-kind richly textured bark-fabric.

A splash of electric-green in the still leafless woodland caught the attention of my tree-friend.

Its wise-eye gaze held steady amidst the field of lenticel-lines and rough bark-plates.

A rock imitating bark.  Message:  Flow with the changes in life while maintaining your balance.  Open your eyes to what is before you.  Find inspiration in nature. 💚 Peace

This giant of a tree was a couple of miles back in the woods on a rocky hillside.  We saw it last week and had to come back to visit.

Its old exposed roots had the appearance of rock themselves.

The towering twin-trunks danced with arms raised high welcoming the long awaited rays-of-warmth.

While below an ancient tree-being with a distinctive bark-nose posed with a more serious expression.

The morning-sun had the feeling of a setting-sun as the great tree-waved.  Message:  New beginnings are at the same time endings.  There is seriousness within freedom and light.  Embrace the wisdom of wholeness. 💚 Peace

Music from the stream brought me to this morning's magnificent tree-hug.

The water's song an expression of the obstacles overcome on its journey.

While purposeful root-arms dipped into the nourishing flow.

Next door an equally majestic tree-companion.

Showed off its great maze of mossy roots.

And back near the trail a sweet kissy-bud wore a delightful shade of spring-pink.  Message:  Nature's cycles are never ending.  Immerse yourself in her inspiring songs and stories.  Find delight in the journey.  💚 Peace

A tall straight tree-hug this morning.  Notice the spirited tree-dancer who snuck into the picture.

It was a friendly tree-neighborhood with a full symphony of frog-music playing in the distance.

Almost a year of tree-hugging has transformed me in many ways. Instead of shying away from things that I didn't find pretty or easy to look at I have become curious about their unique colors and textures, their  essence and stories.

At the base of this tree, in the messy wet moss, I discovered the promise of new tree-life.

Nearby an exquisite rain-dropped display of light and color appeared on a less-than-friendly pricker bush.

A wise capped nature-professor popped out where I had parked my hiking-poles.

Luscious flowing moss growing on a decaying fallen tree-trunk invited me to touch its warm spongy softness.  Message:  Experience love in nature.. Step into a transformed reality.  It is free and waiting patiently for you to arrive.  💚 Peace

I was drawn to this wet-land by the insistent chorus of frog-calls and spring-peeping.

A rugged tree-beauty on the water's edge.

Winding stretching roots navigated their way to secure footing and nourishment.

Mysterious water-reflections.

Lenticel-lined  bark-writing.

A wonderful sunny tree-hug this morning.

Cheerful hellos from the maple tree-folks.  

Spring cleaning in progress at a beautifully framed tree-house.

Another tree-home at the base guarded by a muscular bearded bark-warrior.

While a young-tree trunk stretched its arms wide open.  Message:  Be cheered by the freshening energy.  Give thanks for your home and the protective energies watching over you.  Stretch into the light.  💚 Peace

A special gift at the beginning of this morning's walk - an owl flew up suddenly and landed in a nearby tree so I could take its picture.  Wow!

Tree-spirits have many ways to let us know they want to connect. 

It took me a while to realize it was a wise owl-eye.

An interesting tree-couple watched from on high.

Pure trunk-beauty another gift of the morning.  Message:  Be grateful for the many gifts nature offers freely.  See the beauty of life.  Wisdom and love connect us. 💚 Peace 

This morning's tree-hug on the rock was a bit precarious.  I was holding on tight while Stanley took the picture.

A richly textured tree-arch flowed gracefully up to the cloudless sky.

A tree-community grounded in the ancient rock-land.

Bark-stories told of faeries and flowers and healing-green magic.

Intimate connections between root and rock give birth to wonder.

Nearby weathered white quartz crystals glinted and glistened in the bright sun-light.  Message:  Reach for the light as you stand secure in your grounding.  Ancient energies and ways abound to support you.  Make sure to touch the magic in life.  💚
Peace

A grateful spring-has-arrived tree-hug this morning.

A Paul Revere tree-man pondered the snaking-limb before him.

Black cherry dressed in wild burnt-cornflakes bark. 

A tribute to tree-freedom and the liberty-of-light.

A peaceful woodland-vision.  Message:  Freedom and light are here.  Though the way still winds.  Honor your strength and perseverance as you look ahead.💚  Peace

It was a lovely warm-bark tree-hug this cold morning.

A yawning, stretching tree-being was waking up for spring's arrival tomorrow!

There was lots of tree-dancing in the windy-sky.

Great tree = great shadow.

And a toothy trunk-rock couple smiled for you all to see.  Message:  Awaken to a new beginning.  Dance, smile, share your joy.  Look towards the sun and the shadows will fall behind you. 💚  Peace

Today's tree-hug before the big rain.

An interesting tree with both smooth and scaly bark.  I'll have to wait for the leaves to identify this one.

Portrait of a sweet faced tree-princess with long bark-hair.

A large-mouthed bark-fellow shouted out.

Ancient mysterious bark-riddles.

On the trail back I met a determined salamander on a mission.  Message:  Everything is possible.  Mysteries unfold with time.  Keep moving forward. 💚 Peace

A warmer green-afternoon tree-hug.

I was welcomed by a friendly tree-greeter.

If you look closely you'll see the baby hemlock-needles growing out of the center of the twigs.

Abundant healing energy on a mossy-green fallen tree-carpet.

Nearby a  nature-sculpted wood-being and child.

I spied a perfect leprechaun hide-away.

And my very own leprechaun!  Message:  Have fun.  Celebrate.  Discover new life and healing.. 💚🍀💚  Peace

This morning's tree-hug was another cold one, 20 degrees.  After spending the winter trekking through the woods every day I can say with confidence that I know how to dress to stay warm.

Longing tree-arms patiently reach for the sun's warm rays.

Tree-friends exchange stories of past and present.  

Ancient hands offer lifting support and encouragement.

Unusual tree-eyes gaze outward and inward..   Message:  Seek the light within and without.  Loving support is ever present.  Tell your story.  Peace

The temperature was15 degrees this morning.  I told Stanley it was invigorating.  He wasn't amused.

Tall and magnificent trunk-partners

Climbed high together in unity.

Entwined respectfully.

Prayerful tree-hands touched the blue above.

While along the way more skunk cabbage emerged from the boggy water.  Interesting fact: inside the dark colored flower bud the spadix can generate temperatures 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding air temperature.  Nice but a little too small for Stanley :-D.  Message:  Find warmth and happiness together.  Keep reaching for the highest and best. Remember to laugh.  Peace

This morning's walk brought me to a powerful tree-healing hug.

A deep trunk-wound healed through ancient tree-wisdom, love and attention.

There was celebration on high as life goes on.

A rock wall-view of the standing-ones.

The soft gray-view through the trunks brought me a comforting feeling of peace and calm.  Message:  Step through the pain as part of life.  Find comfort and  balance in the earth and the sky.  Trust the healing wisdom of your heart.  Peace

Another tall tree-hug this lovely morning.

I was amazed at the dense shaggy bark that lined the upper trunk.

While a delicate tree angel-butterfly graced the calmer trunk below.

A long fallen leaf held secure in the tree's bark-clip.  When the wind blew it made a curious sound.  

An unusual bark-couple stood out.  The bark-man bowed slightly towards his high hairdoed bark-lady.  I think she was leaning on her parasol.

Nearby greening grassy-domes with some lingering snow-puffs.  Message:  Shake loose the old and welcome the new.  Find the romance in life.  Angels are with us.  Peace

60 degrees makes all the difference in the snow-world.  

Tall and elegant tree-sisters towered above me.

One quite a tree-dancer.

Seemed to be a dance-party in the neighborhood.

Only two layers needed for this morning's much warmer woodland-walk.

A tree-trident reached for the promise of blue-skies.

Soft tree-curves flowed.

A mighty buffalo-headed tree-being posed handsomely.

At the base artfully sculpted bark-ripples of time.  Message:  Step gently into the calming waters.  Carry with you the strengths discovered through your struggles.  Breathe lightness.  Peace

There's still a lot of snow on the ground but the growing light and warmth hold the promise of spring.

I got a strong 'look' from this tree-being as I was walking by.  It is how some of my tree-friends call me over to visit.

He wanted me to notice the unique-bend of his trunk-partner.

They looked quite beautiful together.

Sitting in the snow taking pictures I romantically thought I was hearing the snow melt. Turned out the barely perceptible crackling sounds were being made by a sea of springtails springing happily about on the snow all around me.   Oh my!!!

A hieroglyphic bark-being told a curious story of  earth and sky.  Message:  Enjoy the beauty and delight of the time.  The more you notice the more you realize how extraordinary it is.  Listen and learn.  Peace

A much warmer morning for today's tree-hug.  Loud skeins of geese flying north another welcome sign of spring on her way.

Entwined above-ground roots may have started life over a long-gone ancestor.

An encapsulated rock part of the breathing root-body.

The transition point of tree-body from below to above ground visible. 

A peek-through the roots.

Color in the waking-bud.  Message:  Consider the grounding connections in your life. As best you can know how you are your roots.  Breathe in the season of rebirth.  Peace

A cheerful tree-hug this morning off the trail.

Arms outstretched a joyful tree-woman welcomed me. Her deeply-textured bark-dress long and flowing.

The rich trunk-moss was warm and luxurious to touch.  Each day the snow cover a little less.

A friendly neighboring tree-greeter popped out to make sure I saw him.

This morning I was drawn to visit a young tree growing in a most unlikely place.  It was part tree-hug, part self-hug.

A gleaming bark-highway to the brilliant-blue sky.

A cross-rock embedded root-highway.

With an over-rock root-bridge.

In-it-together trunk-twins make the most of their challenging  tree-home.

Mossy-adornment on a rounded radiating root-detour.

While nearby nearly hidden sacred-geometry unfurled as emerging skunk-cabbage leaves.  Message:  Obstacles provide opportunities for untapped creativity.  Be bold.  Embrace the sacred.  Unfold your pure perfection.  Peace