It’s Crayon Box Season!

Dear Liza,

I know, I know… six months ago I was going GAGA over the Spring colors….Purples, pinks, outlandish yellows. But now I’m going to gush a little over Fall’s colors.

Growing up in Southern California, my neighborhood was full of evergreen shrubs and trees. “Less messy!” “Pretty all year!” everyone said. And they were right, in the same way that the same outfit everyday would be. But change…. change is good.

Reading about how to care for my new-ish bonsai forest (The Hundred Acre Wood), I learned that the delicate-seeming bonsais (birch and maple, in this case) need to be exposed to the sometimes freezing cold of winter. This lets them have the hibernation period so they can re-awaken in Spring rested and healthy.

And I think that’s true for us, too. People need to rest, tune out, and re-charge. Small kids (and older folks) take naps, but those in the middle need time off, as well. Life doesn’t always make it easy, but I think it’s important.

For me, real winter is sort of a new experience. This past year I noticed that I did more serious research in winter, not being distracted by the drop dead gorgeous-ness of blooms or leaves. In spring, my eyes began to work overtime and I walked miles everyday, just looking.

This winter I hope to finish my story and get it out to folks to read. A few months of grey and rain may be just what I need.

Love,

Grandma Judy