trees

Tree Beings – Day 895

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 2 Comments
Tree Gnome – Photo: L. Weikel

Tree Beings

It’s been a long time since we took a walk like the one we took this evening. It wasn’t so much the walk itself but rather the Tree Beings that appeared along the way that made it an especially magical time.

All the way along, but most noticeably just as the sun was setting (of course, because that is a most numinous time of day), the personalities of some of the trees became particularly expressive. Mind you, these are trees we walk by all the time, but rarely take particular note of their essences. One after the other tonight, though, their personalities, expressions, and temperaments became glaringly obvious.

Perhaps it was all a function of my own mindset. While that’s certainly a possibility, I tend to doubt it. And the reason I doubt it is because I was nursing a most skeptical mindset this afternoon and early evening. I have to say: I was not in the ‘mood’ to be seeing a bunch of different tree personalities making their presence known to me.

If nothing else, my cranky self wondered aloud, “Why are all of you appearing tonight? What’s the point? Is there a message?”

Tree Diva – Kiss Me, You Fool! – Photo: L. Weikel

Being Of Service

Actually, I just got a remarkably clear message as I wrote the above paragraph. This did not occur to me even once as we walked, nor did I consider it as I began this post.

They were doing me a solid. These Tree Beings, Ents (if you will), were coming out of their usual camouflaged stances and willingly making themselves patently obvious with the specific intention of giving me something to photograph and write about.

It never occurred to me until just this moment that when we set off to take our walk tonight the sky had clouded over and a pall of yellowish-brown haze had settled over the area. It was a dismal walk indeed. Not even the hint of a remotely attractive sunset was up for discussion.

So I’m going to show my appreciation for their fine service and post their photos.

There were so many more than just these three. But for now, they will be the stars of my evening show.

Dour Professor Tree – Photo: L. Weikel

For the Record

For the record, I want it known far and wide that I am thrilled these Beings revealed themselves to me tonight. And I want to thank them for their service in entertaining all of us.

(T-216)

Drastically Different – Day 752

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Photo: L. Weikel

Drastically Different

Walking this evening in the brilliant clarity of late fall atmosphere, I noticed the simple beauty of this tree growing alongside the road. Both branches part of the same trunk, I couldn’t help but notice how drastically different were the paths they were growing along.

One seemingly chose to take the straight up path, while the other chose the scenic route.

The stark difference in the appearance of these branches brought me up short. I’m not even sure why. Perhaps because they’re growing from the same trunk and it would at least appear from my perspective that they haven’t been exposed to substantial differences in environmental stresses.

So what in the world would cause one to go all swirly and creative, while its sibling just buckled down and got to work at the business of reaching for the sky?

Nature vs. Nurture

If these branches were human, we might attribute the differences in their ‘personalities’ to…what? Their nature? Their inherent souls, which even if their bodies were identical would still encourage development of their own unique, creative characteristics?

Is that possible with trees? Could it be that each branch of this tree has its own way of reaching for the sun? Might the curly branch be yearning for its individual expression along the same lines as Jonathan Livingston Seagull* did, while the straight branch just did what was expected?

These are the paths my mind wanders sometimes takes when we walk in darkness.

Photo: L.Weikel

*affiliate link

(T-359)

Rapturous Beauty – Day 694

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Rays of Hope – Photo: L. Weikel

Rapturous Beauty

I’ve always loved living where four distinct seasons occur. And I’ve never quite been able to name a favorite season. Each has its own unique charm and reasons to love it. But I have to say, this fall, beginning just at the equinox (September 22) and persisting into this October, has kissed us with some rapturous beauty.

On our walk this evening, it was almost as if Karl and I were struck dumb with the surreal beauty that kept unfolding around us. Funny thing is, not only was it unfolding around us, but it also felt as though it were wrapping us up, cocooning us, enfolding us in a warm embrace of hope.

Propaganda

We are being subjected to some pretty thick and intense propaganda lately. We’re being whipsawed from one dire situation to another, one outrageous slashing of norms and decency to the next.

As a result, we’re left feeling vulnerable and raw.

And what message do we keep receiving day after day? Take a walk. Look up. Immerse yourself in nature. Listen to the crickets. Notice the clouds. Watch the wind swirl the leaves off the trees and carry them miles away.

Hopefully, this pandemic has shifted all of our lives enough to make every single one of us realize just how important maintaining a direct connection with Mother Nature.

If you’re still on the fence, I offer you the two photos I’m including in this post. Look at them. They are unfiltered.

Open Your Heart

I love how rays of light piercing the sky the way they are in the photo at the top of this post make me feel that hope is alive and well and an utterly vital sense to have and maintain.

And then – I don’t know what to tell you. The photo below, which is simply a shot of some of the wonderful trees lining the dirt road that we walk along every night, makes my heart want to break wide open in an outpouring of joy.

I realize that sounds radical and a bit weird. It’s not necessarily a unique or special photograph in many senses of the word. But there’s something about it. Every time I look at it, I feel a tug in my heart. I almost feel tears starting to form. I can’t explain it.

But maybe you will feel it too.

And if so, then my work for the evening is complete.

Sunset through the Trees – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-417)

Perfection – Day 583

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Perfection

Nope. This blog post is not about my desire for perfection. In fact, while I pretty relentlessly strive to do the best I can at whatever I’m doing, I would not call myself a perfectionist.

In fact, I think I have just enough, “Who gives a sh&*” of an attitude, to keep me honest (if not humble).

No, the title for tonight’s blog is ‘Perfection’ because of the remarkable beauty of the tree I photographed the other day.

Looking a Different Direction

Usually when Karl and I are walking along the particular stretch of road that this tree stands beside, our attention is almost always directed away from this tree. We’re almost always looking in the opposite direction.

When we look to our right as we walk along this road, our view is of vast open fields and a panoramic sky, usually occupied by at least a handful of clouds and almost always a breathtaking sunset.We are often distracted by the ever changing vista. The colors of each sunset are captivating in the variety of their unique palettes. Sometimes it’s hard not to see at least three different figures at a time in the clouds.

It’s not uncommon for us to see herds of deer grazing, flocks of geese or ducks stomping around in puddled water, and even occasionally a fox or two darting into the underbrush.

Appreciation

But the other day, I happened to look to my left. I should be clear: I happened to make a point of looking to my left and really seeing what was there. And wow.

Here it is:

An example of perfection – Photo: L. Weikel

I exclaimed to this tree how absolutely perfect it is. I gushed over its beauty and apologized for not noticing it sooner. Actually, I have given it a glance a handful of times over the years, but I don’t know that I ever had as extended a conversation with it as I did the other day.

Then I took its photo.

I do believe this tree is an example of perfection – and I told it so. But it was only when I got home and really had a chance to look at the photo that I realized it had swelled with pride and delight itself. I’m telling you: this tree responded to my compliments and appreciation, and its joy was captured in this photo.

This is a photograph of one happy, loved, and appreciated representative of the ‘standing tall people.’

Find a tree in your neighborhood. Maybe look in a different direction than you normally do. Or see with fresh eyes. You might be surprised by what you discover.

Give it some love – and see what happens. Watch it flourish. Notice how giving that appreciation to another Being makes you feel.

(T-528)

I Love Ents – Day 561

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Some Have Birds As Makeup Artists – Photo: L. Weikel

I Love Ents

I love Ents. They were one of my favorite parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I can remember how I felt when I first read about them. It felt so natural to imagine discovering the wonder of suddenly finding myself amidst massive trees revealing their slow moving, but deliberately sentient, selves. It was thrilling and magical.

And I thought the depiction of them in the movies was pretty great. It’s not always a given that something that lives so vividly in one’s mind when reading a book gets translated onto the screen accurately.

So I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I am prone to Seeing the personalities of certain trees reveal themselves – trees that are, perhaps, a bit more self-aware (or at least self-revelatory) than their brothers and sisters.

No Two Alike

They come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities, of course. Because no self-respecting Ent would be a clone of another. Dare I say, there are precious few creatures on Mother Earth that are not absolutely and utterly unique unto themselves – even if they do bear a huge resemblance to their siblings. (Anyone who has searched high and low for the perfect Christmas tree knows what I’m talking about. They’ve all got their own quirks and precious beauty.)

I’ve noticed a most striking creature revealing its true nature lately. Now that it is leafing out, its outstretched arms are alight with bursts of leaves making it look as if it’s holding pom-poms, its ‘head’ a wild, tangled mess not unlike the mop top I’m currently sporting.

This gorgeous Ent begged to have its photo taken today, so I obliged.

Booga Booga! Shaking Its Leaves At Me – Photo: L. Weikel

Some Are More Subtle Than Others

Which made me hunt for a few others I’ve photographed in the past. I include them here for comparison’s sake. Not as in, “Who is the most beautiful Ent in the neighborhood” type of comparison. Rather, “Let us revel in the diversity of expression the local Standing Tall People display to us on a daily basis.”

I’m actually sure I’ve taken other photos of Tree Beings I’ve glimpsed in our walks. Perhaps I will try to track more of them down.

But for now, I invite you to witness a few of our ‘neighbors.’ Surely you have some in your environs as well.

Crank Monster – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-550)