THE SPRUCE TREE JOURNAL

A place of refuge, a time of peace, a message of hope.

June 2026

Welcome to the June 2026 issue of The Spruce Tree Journal. This month I am including something new - an idea that has been fermenting in my mind for a while: a short Interviews and Inspirations column. Each month (that’s the plan, anyway) I will focus on a single person who is in tune with the natural world and whose inspirational work, relationships, and/or outlook may nudge each one of us to believe in ourselves a little more, and to get us away from doomscrolling so we can better recognize that there really is a wonderful and captivating life out there. You, my friends, are part of that goodness. The teaser and link to my first Interviews and Inspirations column is below - Tara Divito: Amateur Astrophotographer Extraordinaire.

Still in one peace.

Tim

Blog

A Flying Sunset and Apollo's Song

It was late in the day when the maples and alders bordering the swamp cast their long shadows across the path. I had thought about returning to the trailhead before darkness when I noticed this Yellow Warbler, the color of the evening sun with its breast and flanks streaked as if with layers of crimson clouds. This tiny bird, a living and flying sunset, sat perched nearby, singing in sweet, melodic phrases as if in praise of Nature.

Monthly Mantra

Stop measuring days by degree of productivity and start experiencing them by degree of presence.

Alan Watts

Word Search

Be aware of this month's word manifestation during your travels over the next few weeks.

Petrichor - [petrīˌkôr] noun. A distinctive, earthy, pleasant odor that is associated with rainfall on soil, especially when following a long period of warm, dry weather.

After the gentle rain ceased, the petrichor of the damp earth me filled me with the nostalgia of years past when I hiked the woodland trails of the Pacific Northwest.

This Month's Photo

Just Because...

A photo from my files.

Wood Duck

Second Helping

Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Special Edition

Grilled cheese sandwiches were a dietary staple when I was growing up. Then, as well as into my adulthood, these sandwiches were only ho-hum as far as I was concerned. They were just something to eat for lunch between my busy schedule doing one thing and then doing another thing. That is until about a year ago when my daughter Erin made me her version of this standard staple. Mother of God and all that is holy! her unmatched grilled cheese sandwiches took ho-hum and put them on a spiritual plane. Add a few pepperoncini on the side and a glass of Coca Cola, and well…that right there is reason enough to celebrate life. The tide has turned, the tables have flipped, lunch has become the high point between the banality of chores.

Click the link below for full recipe.

Full Recipe

The Pillars of Creation

Photo by Tara Divito

Interviews and Inspirations

Tara Divito: Amateur Astrophotographer Extraodinaire.

I caught up with Tara the other day to ask if she would like to share some of her photos ad inspiring words. Click the link below to learn more about Tara and to see some of her amazing photos of celestial objects.

Tara Divito: Amateur Astrophotographer Extraordinaire

If you're not on The Spruce Tree Journal's mailing list and you like what you see, please consider subscribing. We would love to have you as part of this community.

More information, including the past Blogs, Second Helping recipes, and my publication history, is found at www.thespurcetreejournal.com.