The Skeleton Of A Tree In Winter

It may sound silly, but I love looking at trees. This is probably a good thing because two-thirds of our property is wooded land. While most of us would say fall is the best time for tree watching, we can see the skeleton of the trees best in the winter.

This tree, one we can see from the dining room bay window, has always been one of my favorites. It was perfectly symmetrical and full of bright green leaves - until a storm came through and took out the largest branch on the righthand side. I still love it, it just looks a little lopsided now.

Some of our trees drop their leaves completely before winter, while others hang on to them all year round. The squirrels hang out in this tree a lot, using the leaves for warmth and the seeds for a little extra nutrition.

Do you know how to tell if the nest you're seeing is a bird nest or a squirrel nest? For the most part, birds make their nests from twigs and other thin material, while squirrels use leaves. Go check out your trees and see who's been camping out there.

Do you know how to tell the difference between a tree and a shrub? A tree has one trunk and shrubs have two or more trunks. So interesting - I learned something new when I read that!

I encourage you to do a little tree watching in the next few weeks. There's a lot to be learned - and beauty to experience - when you're able to see that tree skeleton.