At this time of year in my corner of the UK, the tree buds change in a noticeable way, and for me this is something to celebrate.
Trees form their leaf buds during the winter. The idea that trees sleep through the winter is a misconception perpetrated by the Pagan community, depending entirely on never looking that closely at trees. If you only ever see trees from a distance then yes, those apparently bare branches may look like nothing is going on, but this isn’t so! Trees make their leaves, and their catkins during the winter months. In January here, the catkins start opening. Somewhere around Imbolc, buds fatten discernibly.
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Wise words - "New leaves on trees can seem like an event – a sudden arrival of bright new greenness to mark the beginning of the g