Reflections on Evergreens

The custom of evergreen trees in the house around Winter Solstice was brought to England from the north country of Europe. There they were not about Christmas Trees until then, but considered good luck for a favorable winter and a sure spring.

Winter's Companion

Out in the snow
Surrounded by trees
Looking for just one
One tree that sings to you.

Snow graced pines
Some tall, some small
So many too big
To lug home and erect.

Blue spruce, white pine, bristle cone
Ponderosa with needles so long
We're all looking
For that one special tree.

An offering from nature
A gift of the mountain
To bring into our homes as a promise
That winter will pass.

Our gift to self and spirit and home
To cheer our winter days
Decorated with lights
To illuminate the long nights

Oh, singing evergreen tree
Upon which we hang
Beauty and hope and memories
Companion through the the darkest of winter.

(c) J. Binford-Bell

One of the new paintings

On A Midnight Clear
12 x 9 Mixed Media on Artist's Canvas

This is one of the paintings I was having problems with. Yes, I have done churches. And I have done churches at night. But I had never done a church with ice and remnants of snow and luminarias. I had decided to do four or five small paintings of churches with a "Christmas" theme for the holiday market here in Angel Fire. And if they turned out good the thought was to do cards for sale.

I finished a total of four church paintings today. This is not my favorite but the first I had done with the Christmas luminarias. Silent Night to the right I like better for its simplicity.