Time to yourself is precious when you are a parent.  Especially stolen hours in nature on a Christmas afternoon.  There is nothing like clearing your head of the city and all it’s various stimulus.  This time of year is all about willow.  We are wallowing in it, at the beaver dam, on the coast and in our secret sag ponds.  The low winter sun brings out the willow color spectrum in a manner that takes my breath away.  If I were to be a plant the willow would be a tempting incarnation.  Not to mention that if I were lucky enough I might even be immortalized as a basket.