Mid December Afternoon.

It has been an unusual December here in Oregon.  The weather, at least at the beach, has been beautiful.  Crisp sunny days, no clouds, no rain, no wind which is very unusual, indeed.

Yesterday I had to drive to Salem to go to the dentist.  I didn't want to make the trip.  Along the way I  started noticing bright spots of color among the bare trees.

I had to pull over and investigate.  What I was observing were apples left on their trees even though the leaves had dropped.  It provided such a sharp contrast.

By this time of year we normally have had strong enough storms that everything is blown away.  Literally!  But not this year.

I was struck by the stark beauty of it all.

They almost looked like Christmas ornaments.  There were probably 12 or 13 trees I noticed and wanted to photograph but traffic (log trucks) prohibited me from pulling over for them all.

I realized I was fortunate on this day.  The weather pattern is changing so these images are all that will remain of those beautiful spots I was so fortunate to see.

I was reminded, if only for a few hours, that it isn't about where I end up necessarily on my journeys. But it is really about noticing the beauty and lessons, along my path, that are gifted to me when I take the time to notice.

Happy Holidays Everyone.