My Top 3 is a weekly post where I countdown three things I love in a random category. This week, we’re looking at my top three favorite trees.

I had the pleasure of growing up in a little town in upstate New York. Each fall, I got to watch the hills turn glorious shades of red, yellow, orange, and gold. In the middle of winter, when I was cranky that everything was gray, I awaited the days when tiny white, pink, and gray buds would appear on the branches. These would then flourish out into wonderful shades of green from the deepest emerald to light sage.

In high school, I was a part of our Science Olympiad team. One of the “events” I trained for was forestry. That meant looking at pages upon pages of leaf samples. I learned to identify veining and blade shape, tips and petioles. While those skills have left me, what remains is a serious appreciation for the diversity of these plants.

Trees are beautiful parts of nature that brighten my day and shade me from the sun. I fully believe in the power of forest bathing to bring a sense of calm. When given the option for where to enjoy a midday walk, I will always pick the path with the most trees.

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