Piñon

There is, perhaps, no other tree or plant that my life has become as interwoven with the Pine. Her changing gifts mark the turning of the wheel of the year–wood harvested in Spring, cured in Summer, and burning in my Winter hearth. Nuts gathered by the basketful in autumn are a nightly treat the season long. Always, her essence teaches self-forgiveness and gentle compassion when I find myself dwelling on mistakes I’ve made in the past. Abundant aromatic resin gathered here and there year-round soothes my muscles and my mind. And of course, an infusion of her green spring needles, piquant and antioxidant rich, heralds the coming snowmelt and impending burst of Spring.