Winter is a time when I pay close attention to trees. Undistracted by leaves, one can admire their branching habit, with different forms attributable to different species. For instance, white oaks have a densely cushioned formation of twigs and small branches on top, beautiful against the sky. We have a shapely, middle-aged Kentucky coffeetree just outside the Lower Terrace whose limbs are as elegantly curved as those of a ballet dancer.
The great Indian polymath Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) said, The one who plants trees, knowing that he will never sit in their shade, has at least started to understand the meaning of life. I fully agree.
Stephen F. Byrns
President