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6
Nov
2020
All the leaves fell off my catalpa tree in a single day. In full foliage, it’s a dense mass of huge flat leaves.
Something about an unexpectedly early snowfall, coupled with an overnight cold snap, triggered a reflex in every leaf, leading them to separate from their parent tree.
The tree looks quite different now. Bare branches stand gaunt against a grey sky. I can see right through it.
Some years ago, I was given a book called Trees in a Winter Landscape, by Alice Upham Smith.
Most of the year, she suggested, we know trees by their leaves. The underlying structure doesn’t become visible until the leaves fall. I think that might be true for more than just trees.
Categories: Soft Edges
Tags: trees, winter, structures
7
Dec
2016
Christmas is just three weeks away. Silver bells ring on city sidewalks, sleighbells jingle in lanes. Coloured lights brighten the long dark nights.
And indoors, Christmas trees light up.
Our family used to go out and cut a tree. About 11 years ago, for various reasons, we switched to an artificial tree.
I figure 11 trees are still alive today, that wouldn't be otherwise.
“So what?” you scoff. Pines and firs on a Christmas tree farm were never intended to grow to maturity. They were grown to be cut down, weren't they?
Maybe. But like us, they're living things. The ancient Druids had sacred groves. I suggest that every tree should be considered sacred.
Tags: trees, Christmas
20
Mar
Categories: Sharp Edges
Tags: eulogy, trees, green