Simple Gifts: A Lone Tree in a Farm Field

It was Saturday, and my husband and I couldn't believe all that we had managed to pack into the week that we had just wrapped up. It felt like we'd been everywhere and done everything. 

And yet, somehow, my husband wanted to go for a jog. He thought he would like to run at Buffalo Run Park, a very low-key and rural park along route 550, not far from State College.

So we hopped in his classic car, a 1997 Chevy Geo, and went for a spin. We have three cars between us, all Chevies: a 2017 Sonic, a 2010 Impala, and the Geo. The Sonic is actually mine; the other two, he owns. The Impala, which is a huge black vehicle, is our go-to backpacking car; EVERYTHING fits in it. But I digress. . . .

Before ending up at the park, we decided to stop at a little rural church along route 550 that is for sale. It is a gorgeous building and has a cute little matching Little Free Library in front of it. The LFL looks EXACTLY like the church! It's so adorable!

So I hopped out of the car, checked for books, found nothing there but children's stuff, and decided to take a photo of a favorite tree in a nearby farm field. You may see that photo above.

My friend Sijal, who is from Pakistan (I met her at Penn State years and years ago, and we just "clicked"; we've been friends ever since, and her little girls enjoy my Tiny Tiger tales), provided this description of my image: "a resilient tree standing alone and bare against the cold, harsh, indifferent background." 

I told her I thought that was a very poetic description, and so much better than anything else I could have come up with. So here it is, just one of the simple gifts of this day: a juncture of tree, and earth, and sky. Looking at it makes me feel . . . peace.

There is a song that came to mind for this image and it is Simple Gifts, by Alison Krauss and Yo-Yo Ma. Friendship is a gift. So is the sight of a lone tree; to me, anyway. I can't find the original video that SHOWS them performing it so wonderfully together, so this version will have to do.

And here are some really cool songs I came across while finding the video for the one I already linked to. You just might love these!
Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss, The Wexford Carol
Andrea Bocelli and Alison Krauss, Amazing Grace
Joe Strummer (lead singer for the Clash) and Johnny Cash, Redemption Song