Citrus Season

by Kelly

While I'm the first one to admit that I am not a huge fan of the weather this time of year, there is actually something I do love about winter....citrus fruit!



Citrus fruits are typically available year-round, but they are at their peak this time of year.  Native to Australia and Southeast Asia, citrus trees are cultivated in warm, sunny climates with fertile soil and adequate rainfall.  However, they require some time at a cooler temperature for the fruit to develop its color.  Hence their harvest in the cooler months of the year.

Right now there is an abundance of brightly colored citrus fruit in my local grocery store, so I thought it might be fun to geek out and learn more about some of my favorites.

Blood Orange

The blood orange is primarily cultivated in the Southern Mediterranean and gets its name from the deep maroon/crimson color of its flesh... I mean just look at that color!  Most likely a natural mutation of the orange, this distinctive color is due to the presence of anthocyanin, an antioxidant that is rather uncommon in citrus fruits.  The sweet flesh of blood oranges is ideal in salads or desserts, and the juice is delicious on its own or in a variety of cocktails (hello!).

Cara Cara Orange

The Cara Cara orange is a hybrid between two different types of navel oranges and has a peach colored flesh (courtesy of the phytochemical, lycopene) and sweet, complex, almost berry-like flavor.  Prized for the delightful fragrance of their blossoms, Cara Cara trees can grown in the moderately-warm regions of the US (zones 8-11). Whether eaten as a snack or squeezed for their juice, Cara Cara oranges are delicious and refreshing.

Mandarin Orange

Mandarin oranges, and the related clementines, are known for their sweet flavor and loose, easy-to-peel skin.  They originated from China and are now widely cultivated in California under the Wonderful® Halos™ brand.  Between their portability and delectable little segments, we eat these by the dozens at our house.

Navel Orange

Navel oranges are the original 'sweet' orange which developed from a hybrid between the pomelo and the mandarin orange.  Also easy to peel, navel oranges are grown to be eaten fresh or squeezed for their juice.  

Ruby Red Grapefruit

Originating in Asia, the grapefruit is a hybrid between the pomelo and the sweet orange.  The name is derived from the grape-like clusters of fruit on the tree.  The Ruby Red variety was developed after an accidental discovery of a the red grapefruit growing on a pink grapefruit tree.  Now grown almost exclusively in South Texas, the juicy, sweet flesh is perfect for eating fresh or being squeezed into juice.

Besides their delicious flavor however, citrus fruits are extremely beneficial for good health.  Citrus fruits are a valuable source of vitamin C which is important for the immune system and helps to reduce inflammation.  Citrus fruits are also a good source of soluble and insoluble fiber - both of which help to lower cholesterol and aid in digestion.  In addition, citrus fruits are also high in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals as well as a great source of antioxidants.

Personally, I love citrus fruit for all of the health reasons I mentioned above.  But I think what I love most about citrus is the vibrant color and snappy freshness of the fruit at a time when this kind of flavor and color are in short supply. Definitely something to be grateful for this time of year.

What about you?  Any of your favorites make my list?  

Until next time,

Kelly

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New Words for Winter

by Kelly

A cloudy day is no match for a sunny disposition. ~William Arthur Ward

It's not the cold...it's really not.  It's not the layers of clothes.  It's not even the occasional snow and/or ice.

By far, the hardest part of winter for me is the long stretches of gray, sunless days.

Anyway, because 1) I had nothing inspiring to share about winter with you today and 2) I am a total word nerd, I found some interesting words that relate to this kind of dreadful winter weather - a few with which I was completely unfamiliar.

• Nubilous - hazy, darkened
• Obfuscous - lack of light
• Brumous - foggy, cloudy
• Banausic - dull, lifeless
• Lugubrious - gloomy, pensive

On the other hand, when the sun finally does come out, it is a complete mood lifter for me.  Which could be described by the following words.

• Apricity - the warmth of the winter sun
• Insouciant - easygoing, untroubled
• Clarion - cloudless, bright
• Sanguine - happy, optimistic
• Halcyon - calm, peaceful

I hope you enjoyed this departure from my usual style of posts...or at least found my little vocabulary lesson interesting and/or informative.  And regardless of what kind of weather you are experiencing, I wish you all copious, plenteous, munificent, and prodigious amounts of light and love.

Until next time,

Kelly

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Not My Favorite

by Deanna

As a reader of our blog, and thank you for that, you may well have surmised that the month of January’s theme is Winter’s  Bare Branches.  Living in the Midwest I am surrounded by branches from the many varieties of Maples, the Sycamores, the River Birch, Pin Oaks and Red Oaks, Magnolias, and Weeping Willows, the Black Walnut and the Sweet Gum, varieties of trees too numerous to list. Drive down any neighborhood street and you will probably see a Honey Locust, a Maple, even a large Bur Oak gracing the parkways.  During the summer months these varieties are clothed in their various colors, shapes and sizes of leaves, seeds or flowers, but in the winter, unless you are an arborist (tree expert) they all appear to look almost the same, except perhaps in size. Their branches stripped clean, standing bare before us.   I can see the shape, the size, the broken, the scars, the length of the branches, all appearing lifeless.  And I wonder, will the Spring bring life back into those broken and scarred limbs.

I know that winter pretty much strips me of the joy that I find during those warmer months of the year.  Sunshine and warmth are my go-to words, but sunshine has been very sparse this year. Since January 1^st we have had only 1 full day of sunshine, the rest have been partly cloudy or totally dreary. With rain, not snow.  We had 2 beautiful snows in December followed by January rains. Am I complaining, yes.  Do I feel stripped and bare, yes. But like the trees I will flourish again in the spring.  Having this cold dreary weather does give me an excuse to hunker down and read until my eyes grow weary, then I nap.

Eventho Winter is not my favorite time of year, I do find life among those bare trunks and limbs. Wildlife remains steadfast throughout the cold months here in the Midwest. Those bare branches provide a safe place for birds and our furry friends to perch in their search for food, thus giving me the opportunity to capture their winter coats and plumage.  

And I must admit there is an occasional drop-dead gorgeous sunset. And with the trees bare I can enjoy those blazing colors.  

So there you have it....my so-called love/hate relationship with our Midwest winters. Love them for draping our world in purest white, for the gorgeous unimpeded views of sunsets, and the birds and critters that give life to the barest of branches.  The not so loved side are the short days,the pile of coats, gloves and boots to weather the cold, the dreariness, and the longing for those bare limbs to spring forth with life again.  

Bare Bones

by Leigh

Every year...around this same time...I write about winter trees. I'm pretty sure every single year I have written about my love for tree silhouettes.  So imagine my excitement when our monthly theme happens to be tree branches!  I always say that you get to know trees in the winter when they are naked and exposed.  Their truth shows through when they aren't clothed by their leaves.  This is when we can see all gnarly branches, broken limbs, and peeling trunks.  

That got me thinking.  Maybe that's why I am so drawn to trees in the winter.  I see parallels between us and the trees.  Without their covering...without the distraction of the flashy colored leaves or the bright blooming flowers we see trees at their most vulnerable state.  We see exactly what they are....and all their imperfections.  If you aren't familiar with Brene Brown she is a research professor that has studied courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy and written about it in many of her best selling books.  In her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, she defines vulnerability as this:  

Vulnerability-willingness to show up and be seen with no 

guarantee of outcome-is our greatest measure of courage.

That's what the trees represent for me.  I see them as brave, vulnerable, courageous.  They remind me that despite my flaws I can show up, be seen and be worthy of love.

Look at the winter trees.  Really look at them...study them...appreciate them.  We are connected to everything and everyone around us in some way.  

“We cultivate love when we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known, and when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection.

Love is not something we give or get; it is something that we nurture and grow, a connection that can only be cultivated between two people when it exists within each one of them – we can only love others as much as we love ourselves.

Shame, blame, disrespect, betrayal, and the withholding of affection damage the roots from which love grows. Love can only survive these injuries if they are acknowledged, healed and rare.” 
― Brené Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are

The Beauty Of Winter

by Cathy

“When one sees the tree in leaf

one thinks the beauty of the tree is in it’s leaves,

and then one sees the bare tree.”

~ Samuel Menashe

What do you think when you look up and see a tree's bare branches? Are they boring? Depressing? Something we have to endure till spring? Or do you see beauty? Shapes? Textures?

I haven’t always paid much attention to bare trees. It wasn't until I began to wander more and more outside with my camera that I began to take notice of them. Then I began to really see them and see their individual beauty. The last couple of weeks I've taken my camera out and studied tree branches. Here's a little of what I saw.

I saw branches that looked like long fingers pointing toward the sky.

I saw multitudes of tiny branches springing from the main branch.

I have seen the shape of branches defined by snow.
(This one is from my archives. We've only had a dusting of snow this year)

I saw decorated trees with seedpods hanging from branches.

I saw mysterious branches reaching out in the fog.

I saw a squirrels nest barely hanging on to the branches.

I saw bunches of mistletoe that are usually hidden among the green leaves.

I saw twisting, bending limbs.

I saw evening light reflecting off the branches.

There is so much to see if only we would pause and look around. I hope you’ll stop for a few minutes before you go on with your day; go outside or look out the window and study the nearest tree. Marvel at its shape and texture.

It seems we here at Focusing On Life have been inspired by winter's trees. Just this week  Kelly showed us how trees can be our example in weathering the storms of life and Judy’s thoughts were on embracing the changing seasons. I hope you’re inspired by trees and our thoughts and images. I hope you'll find ways to appreciate the beauty of winter. Oh, and be sure when you find some of winter's beauty to share it in our Flickr gallery or use #focusingonlife on Instagram. We do love what you share!

Beauty in the Broken Places

by Kelly

It's one of my favorite things about where we live.

Living in a historic neighborhood, we are fortunate to have many lovely, stately, mature trees. From the glory of their spring blooms, to the welcome shade in the summer, to the amazing colors in the fall, the trees have a way of beautifying our neighborhood all year long.

But in December of 2007, it was a completely different story.

Our city was hit with a devastating and crippling ice storm.  One that destroyed many of the trees in our neighborhood.  And the ones that were able to withstand the storm were heavily damaged.

It's hard to believe that was almost ten years ago.

Thankfully, our neighborhood has recovered.  And for the most part, I don't really think about it any more.  The new trees that were planted after the storm are thriving.  The older surviving trees continue to bloom and grow with the seasons.  In fact, for the majority of the year you can't even really tell that anything happened.  Except during winter.

Because during the winter months, when the trees are bare, you can still see the scars of that terrible storm.

Gnarled branches, misshapen limbs, giant gaps in the canopy...evidence of the triage that was performed at the time. And yet, you can see where the trees are filling in the gaps with smaller limbs growing into the spaces left behind.  It's amazing really...this life force which enables them to fight and grow and thrive despite their injuries.

It seems to me that people are a lot like trees.  How that underneath the life we put out on display, all of us bear the scars of trauma and injuries.  Like leaves, the trappings and busy-ness of our daily lives tends to disguise and distract from our wounds.  Only when we are courageous enough to bare our hearts and be vulnerable, can others see the signs of storms we have weathered.

But being broken or damaged doesn't make us less valuable.  Like the mighty oaks and maples in my neighborhood, these scars add character and tell the story of survival.  Which I tend to think is immensely inspiring and interesting.  In trees and humans alike.

But beyond that, I also believe that there can be beauty in these broken places.  It happens when we allow our wounds to make us more compassionate, more empathetic souls.  It happens when we take our pain and transform it to bring hope and joy to others.  And that in a beautiful thing.

Where do you find beauty in the broken places?  We would love for you to share it with us in either our Flickr pool or on Instagram using #focusingonlife.

Until next time,

Kelly

Focus on You

In going through the photos in the Flickr group to choose an image to focus on this week, I was amazed at the beauty you are all capturing of winter's bare branches! It's always hard to choose just one and this week was no exception.

But when I saw these branches hung with raindrop jewels and the beautiful bokeh in the background, I knew I had to share it with all of you who may not have seen it in the Flickr gallery.  This photo was taken by Larraine Zungolo who shares so many of her wonderful images here with us at FOL. Thanks for playing along with our Winter's Bare Branches theme, Larraine!

Gift Ideas

by Carol

Gift Suggestions

To your enemy - forgiveness.

To an opponent - tolerance.

To a friend - your heart.

To a customer - service.

To all - charity.

To every child - a good example.

To yourself - respect.

                                                                                                                                  Oren Arnold 

FROM MY HOUSE TO YOURS - MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

(AND THANKS FOR YOUR LOVE)

                                                                                             

A Fall/Winter Vignette

by Deanna

My tummy is full and there is gratefulness in my heart as I write this post on the evening of Thanksgiving.  I hope all of you had a day filled with gratitude for the blessings each of us have received in our lives.

Today it is raining, alot.  Last weekend it snowed alot. In fact we broke another record here in the Chicagoland area by having the most snow fall this early in the year. Whoopee another winter weather record breaker. (Say that fast 5 times) But I honestly have to say it was really magical. There were still many leaves that remained on the trees which created a delightful snowy vignette of winter/fall in one image. The changing of the seasons brilliantly displayed with this early and heavy snowfall.  You know, the heart-attack kind of snow that is wet and really heavy, the perfect making a snow-man kinda snow, the perfect stick to every branch snow. I saw more snowmen last weekend than I saw all last winter.

The snow is long gone, eventho it was a record breaker, and the ground is now soggy from melted snow and heavy rains. But today I am grateful for that little bit of magic that I captured with my lens, the beauty, the transition, the enchantment, all in one record breaking Saturday in November.

In Search Of...

by Leigh

“Is the spring coming?" he said. "What is it like?"...

"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine...” 

― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Many of you are still buried deep beneath the snow so my plan for today's post was to bring some spring to your computer screen this morning.  Colorful tulips, blooming trees, green grass….even on a computer screen this can help to lift our spirits right?  I mean…just check out the beautiful spring banner that Terri put together for us at the top of screen.  Those glorious spring photos bring a huge smile to my face.  So with a plan in place I set out in search of spring.  The only problem was that I couldn't really find her.  I looked in my backyard to see what I could find.  Maybe if the sun would come out from behind the clouds and melt some of the snow leftover from this weekend I could see the greening up of the Daylilies underneath their old dormant foliage.  Maybe (if there wasn't a layer of ice) I could catch a few songbirds enjoying a sip at the bird bath.  Perhaps if winter had happened on it's normal schedule I could find some buds on the trees.  Everything I happened upon was just as depressing as the winter itself.  I found a few crocus that had popped up, but their buds weren't open because the windchill was too much to handle (I don't blame them!).  I found the green of some tulips just barely popping up past the snow that has yet to melt on the north side of my house but that didn't necessarily scream out cheerful and uplifting.  I did see some growth on my Knockout Roses.  Finally a sign of spring, but upon closer inspection I realized that most of it was remnants of Rosette disease that is wiping our our roses around here.  Ugh….no…no…no!  This is not at all what I had envisioned.

My cheerful, happy, bring color to your screen and a smile to your face post was doomed.  Instead of offering some uplifting thoughts of what's to come I've just managed thoroughly depress myself.  Boo!

But then I thought of an idea….why not go through the archives!  We all know spring will come….eventually that is….so maybe seeing some of last year's color will help to brighten our moods.  It's March…it's time to spring forward (don't forget to set your clocks ahead this weekend!)…time to spring clean….time to spring to life!  (seriously..I could probably keep going with this, but it's getting a little bit cheesy)

TICKLED PINK!

 THE ANTICIPATION IS KILLING ME!

 FIELD OF BLOOMS!

FLOWERING TREE EXPLOSION!

I hope that I helped to put a little spring in your step.  And I leave you with two of my favorite spring quotes. The sun will surely start to shine.  The snow must start to melt.  Spring will come!  I promise.  So get out there and look for those signs of spring.  They are sure to appear soon!

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. -Proverb

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” -Robin Williams