It was a delight to see this dogwood blooming down the street a couple of months ago. It lives in front of the home of a young couple with a toddler and two dogs. Marley and I stop and talk to them during our walks. One of their dogs is a 16-year-old hound named Boomer. When Boomer sees us coming, he ambles over to the fence to say hello. Their 67 Buick is in good shape and still runs!
Here are more views: Click on each to see the entire photo.
“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” Rachel Carson
Walking around your trunk,
Taking pictures of roots
Exposed by years
of river risings,
About to continue on,
I felt the call: Come
and took two steps back.
My hand moved to your mossy curling bark.
There it was ~
The subtle vibration
Holding my hand in place
Asking me to stay
Inviting me to commune
with the depth of wisdom
Drawn from the Earth,
Compelling me to express gratitude,
to acknowledge a knowing
Deeper than words.
I looked up at your branches
still bare in early spring,
draped over the singing river.
My heart opened like a blossom
Wanting to stay forever
Feeling the quiet endurance of life.
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Hiking along a river in the North Carolina mountains, I touched many trees. This one called me back after I had stepped carefully over its exposed roots. I think maybe it’s a river birch – hard to be sure with no leaves yet and lots of moss on the bark. I hope to see it again with leaves in the summer.
Click each photo to see it all.
Approaching the treeRoots on the trailCurly bark with mossLooking upTree Lover and TreeFarewell my friend
(Yesterday, we were travelling to visit family, and I didn’t get back to finish this post until today. So, here’s some Friday Tree Love)
Live Oak and Azaleas with Ayla and Marley
You might have seen pictures of this live oak that lives across from the park in my neighborhood, but I don’t think I’ve shared it with the azaleas that just made it through an unusual March frost. A group of volunteers in the neighborhood planted the azaleas about 20 years ago.
Click on the images below to see the whole picture.
“Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.”
– Kahlil Gibran
Marley and I took a longer than usual walk near sunset a few days ago. We saw these trees waiting for spring with the moon overhead. I don’t know what kinds of trees these are, but I thought they looked pretty in the golden light and a little Spanish moss. Soon we won’t see so many branches.
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Thursday Tree Love is hosted by Parul Thakur on the second and fourth Thursday.
“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”
―Kakuzo Okakura
On our way to the park, Marley and I pass a tree whose trunk is wider and flatter than most. It seems the big trunk has adapted to fit in the narrow between the sidewalk and the street while the branches and leaves sprawl above in the sky. Presumably, the roots expand below out of sight. Studying trees has shown me that they are individuals doing their best to adapt over time.
Any squirrels up there?Nope. No squirrels. Imagine how these trees connect underground.
“Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.”
John Muir
I’ve always loved pine trees. Here near the Carolina Coast, we have loblolly pines and long leaf pines. David and I walked among these evergreens with our dog Marley on my December birthday hike at Carolina Beach State Park. If you stand quietly between the pines, you can feel the doorway to a new world.
Path Between the PinesPines OverheadPines and GrassesDavid and Marley on the Pine Trail
“We never fully move on, We leave a piece of ourselves behind Like leaves and trunks molded into the earth And forest floor, we give what we know And others take it up and use it to grow.
This photo was taken a few months ago by my daughter Ayla who gave me permission to share it. She has become the family historian working to discover the branches of her family tree. The tree in her photo lives on a hill near Hanging Rock State Park in the foothills of North Carolina.
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Thursday Tree Love is hosted by Parul Thakur on the second and fourth Thursdays.
When I saw Linda’s post included a squirrel, I remembered this photo I took just after dawn last weekend. Being up close to dawn is extremely rare for me, but I was pet sitting the neighbor’s 17-year-old yorkie and had to get up early. The squirrel in the neighbor’s backyard seemed to be hurrying away from the utility pole back to the trees.
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One-Liner Wednesday is hosted every week by Linda G. Hill.
It’s technically winter here in the US, but I’m still smiling at this cluster of leaves hanging on for weeks after the others have let go and become part of nature’s carpet. They’re still beautiful in front of the blue sky. Maybe the tree likes having them down there, protected from the wind. We’re getting ready for high winds and freezing temperatures, so I’m glad I captured these leaves to share.
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Below is a bouquet of leaves I collected from my backyard and shared in a previous post
I think I’ve shared this live oak before. She lives across the street from our neighborhood park. A few evenings ago, while walking Marley, I saw her as a sunset silhouette.
Below are a couple older photos of this very special tree in the light of day:
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Thursday Tree Love is hosted by Parul Thakur on the second and fourth Thursday of each month.
Anything is Possible! 