Golden Larch Forest

Lightning sparks earth to sky.  Thunder cracks, dynamite exploding across the ridge. Wind shakes the evergreens. Tinderbox branches erupt.  Kindling scorched to flame. Seed cones pop, spewing seeds.

Rains come. Snows come. Sun melts the long shadows. Spring returns to the mountain. Larch seedlings poke through the ash blanket. 

Golden phoenix rising, a new forest born from the ashes.

Sacred Grove

In an old-growth forest, pine, fir and larch stand side-by-side. Gnarled branches grow intertwined, becoming one tree reaching for the heavens. A warm breeze hums softly through the thick needles, while treetops sway together in a primeval dance.

I stand at the altar.