Fallen Willow - Snowy Owl

Willows grow in places which provide excitement to the naturalist. I grew up on a ravine which was dominated by giant willows. They formed a great, green canopy in summer and a twisted, superstructure in winter. Since they form cover and shelter and grow in damp areas they provide a good place for birds in any season. They grow so fast that they seem older than they are, and sometimes the weight of an oblique branch brings it crashing down, splitting the tree but not killing it. With the willow's irrepressible vitality the fallen branch will send up new branches resulting in a tree of great complexity.

The branch in this painting is part of a fallen willow by a frozen lake, where snowy owls are on the lookout for weakened waterfowl or meadow mice. The festoons of wild cucumber indicate last summer's lush tangle, and the yellow twigs predict the rush of life of the approaching spring.