Scattered across the ground, are heaps of branch tips of big leaf maples that broke off during the ice storm. I picked one up and admired its shape, color, and texture. I sat down, did a brief sketch of it, and continued to admire its beauty. Afterward, I cut a cross-section to see what it looked like inside. To my surprise, I found a small tree enshrined in a kind of mandorla. (In Italian it means almond. In religious art, it’s the almond-shaped aureole of light surrounding the entire figure of a holy person like the Virgin Mary.)
Nature is an inexhaustible source of wonder. I look forward to seeing you out there.