Monday, April 22, 2013

The Tree Of Life

The park I visit is a hidden gem -- 2,000 acres of virgin land, preserved in natural condition since the first Settler acquired it from the Indians.  Few people know about the park, which I find remarkable.

Within the park is a majestic tree, hundreds of years old.  It is huge in size and attractive in shape.  The tree is ancient and grand.

During my last visit, a young teenage girl rode her bicycle down the grass to the tree and perched on a lower branch.  The scene was striking, both visually and metaphorically.  Here was a contemporary girl, in her impermanent youth, connecting with an elder being who had seen the Revolutionary War.  You sensed she felt a connection to the tree which was manifest in her physical interaction with it.

I previously gave you a glimpse of this scene in a truncated photo.  Now, I want to show you the entire experience, both from a distance (to show the relative sizes of the two beings) and close-up (to show you their interaction).

Do you have any favorite trees?


 
 
 

17 comments:

  1. how beautiful it is! love it! I didn't see the girl in the post before - taking just the tree and the park (many be that's because my screen is tiny).
    great mix.

    I love lots of trees. In park next to my house (I bet I've shown around 1/10 on my blog already) there are a lot of remarkable trees. The park previously was park of country house of reach men. The family loved botanic so we can find a lot of odd trees there - the hybrids, the trees/flowers from different countries (ones that normally wouldn't make in Moscow) etc. remarcable trees

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  2. What a beautiful tree! Not so very far from here there is a grove of yew trees, which are among some of the oldest living things in Britain, they are very special trees. Some of them a couple of thousand years old which is very humbling.
    I have a soft spot for the mountain ash and incurred the wrath of my neighbours who actually drove us from the village we lived in, after I told their children off for damaging and indeed killing a beautiful mountain ash in the communal garden we shared.

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  3. Lovely picture. It's nice to see people feeling that moment of connection with the natural world. I love maple trees, fir tree, pine trees, cherry trees, and on and on. We are in a pretty leafy neighborhood with a great mix of evergreen and deciduous, and I love both their mystery and majesty.

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  4. I love the shape and size of the tree ... I certainly saw a person in your last posting of the tree but could not figure out what they were doing. It seems like the perfect place to be ... I would bring my book and a blanket and sit under that tree. You are certainly very fortunate to have such a stunning park close to where you live and also a place that is so well kept.

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  5. There is a tree up the street from where I live that is a joy any time of year. I should take a pic. I am a true tree hugger. I have actually hugged trees. I'm so glad you enjoy them too.

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  6. I love trees. I love that they've seen so much and been special forts, hideouts, lover's shelters. This tree is perfect!

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  7. Beautiful tree!

    I love magnolias for climbing, and for the rustling sound their leaves make. It's a very unique sound.

    Willows are my favorite though. They like to grow close to a water source, and make you feel magical sitting under them. They are also a medicinal tree too.

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  8. Oh what a beautiful sight... I love corotu trees - oh an mango trees -

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  9. Oh, that's a lovely shot Ally. I am an unashamed hugger of trees and like to hang out with the ones in my local park but also the wilder nes in the woods on the outskirts of my city. They make me feel peaceful and centred, as I hope they do for you.

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  10. Gives me goosebumps, Ally. Thank you for this incredible, moving vignette.

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  11. I have to admit I'm tickled to realise that I saw the whole picture when others didn't. I loved this pic the most in the last post just because of the reasons that you said, even not knowing the history of the tree or the park. Here's a picture of a child connecting with a grand old tree and it conjures up some emotions. It also said a story about the girl to me, she's sitting in her quiet place day dreaming .. I wonder what she dreams about?

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  12. Oh this so speaks to me! I have many favorite trees! But my most favorite is an enormous pine still growing in front of my mom's house in Wisconsin...It was so many things to me when I was a kid...an escape, a dare, a place to spy on the neighborhood...

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  13. I'm always pleased to see natural beauty NOT being destroyed by 'progress'... You're lucky to have this special place, it looks peaceful.

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  14. How wonderful that you captured this image! I feel like I'm there with her in such a relaxed and quiet moment. I'm glad you have such a close "getaway" too. :-)
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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  15. It's just beautiful. The image is both timeless and fleeting at once and this contradiction, as well as the stunning imagery in and of itself, makes it imbued with meaning.
    Fantastic that you captured it.
    Becky :)

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  16. What a gorgeous photo.. I love this shot so much.. very serene!!
    and I love the energy of trees.. especially cedar trees!!
    Jodi

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