In the Bleak Midwinter

There always seems to be something to add a little color and brightness to the chilly days of winter.  I sometimes wonder whether the brilliant white of the snow isn't meant to temper the bleakness of the seemingly endless gray of winter skies.

Snow covered fields and woods are beautiful in their own stark way, showing the bones of the land and dazzling the eye with their quiet glittering. Then, a flash of color that went unnoticed before the snow fell, since it blended too well with the grays and browns of tree bark and bare branches, dazzles the eye with a different kind of beauty peeking out of a snowy blanket.

Tiny crab apples suddenly look like holiday lights that almost glow against the snowy backdrop. The movement of birds among the branches, displacing bits of snow proves that the world is not completely wrapped in a blanket of sleep.

My parents planted a number of these crab apple trees out in the woods as food for birds and other creatures in the winter. Some years the apples are gold and some years they are red - and on occasion, they are both on different parts of the trees. We often see grouse and other fruit-loving birds enjoying these miniature apples in the winter months. And, of course, they are covered in glorious blossoms when spring comes! 

We don't know what variety of crab apple these are, and we'd love to plant a few more for our woodland friends to enjoy. So, if you're familiar with what they might be, let me know!