Last week we had one of those eerie-for-February-but-still-appreciated 60-degree days. I loaded up the dog and drove out for a walk in one of my favorite spots…

It was warm and gray, and the woods were winter-brown. Strips of bright green moss stood out, wrapping downed trees and the occasional boulder.

About halfway through the hike I came upon this enormous outcrop, covered in moss. It glowed in the diffuse light of the cloudy day, and looked to me like a big green beast emerging from the winter earth.

This is what I had gone looking for: the comfort of green. For more on the divine nature of greening, check out Hildegard von Bingen’s concept of Viriditas.