Myles Standish State Park, Duxbury, Massachusetts, USA

What is it about walking in a pine forest that seems to soothe the soul?.......

.....the spongy, soft carpet of needles underfoot........

......the wind whispering through the branches, the aromatic scent, and the remembrance of pine sap all over your hands when climbing trees as a child.

But the forest is not a static place - the next generation has already gained a foothold.

And for you English major geeks, as Chaucer said in the 14th century, "Mighty oaks from little acorns grow."  Maybe so - if it can win the battle with the pine seedlings for enough sunlight.

Soon, the hushed silence of snow will blanket and protect this world as the cycle of nature continues without pause or end.