An Old Tree

As I walked by this old tree I marvelled at the complexity of its bark. What caused it to create such intricate patterns? What stories does it tell? Of weather patterns? Infestations? And what has this tree witnessed? Full of questions. No answers.

Bark

Lines, textures - they speak to me. This tree tells its story of growth and age and difficulties.

As I get older, I too have the story of my life written on my body - wrinkles - some from laughter, some from playing an instrument, some from difficult times, adorn my face. A scar on my hand reminds me of my father's love and trust in me as he gave me (too young) a knife for carving. It slipped... I still remember him carrying me to my bed to lie down after he had bandaged my hand. Each bag and sag, each wrinkle and age spot has been earned. Plastic surgery is not for me! Why would I want to erase the stories.

I wonder what stories this tree could tell.

Jan 27/10: Rough

Jan 27/10: Rough, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Today's DailyShoot was "Take something common--an object, building, or landscape--and compose an abstract composition with it. "

I really questioned this one. What makes it abstract. Was it because the original object from which it was extracted was not recognizable? The bark without the tree created a study in texture; it was not longer about a tree. Is this really abstract? Or just a closer look at what is there?

I took a variety of photographs, got some strange looks as I focused on car wheels, chairs that had been stacked for the winter, a fire hydrant. Some photographs had interesting lines, but I did not really feel they were abstract.
this? or this?
I toyed with playing with images in photoshop. After all, an abstract piece of art is not what the artist saw, but rather a statement or reaction. Would this then be an abstract photograph? Or does that amount of dithering with Photoshop turn it into something else?

Just musing....

Day 239: Old Tree

Day 239: Old Tree, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I passed this great old tree today. It has cavities, great homes for a variety of insects. Many of Montreal's streets are tree-lined with great big maples and ash as well as many other trees. Some trees were lost in the ice storm of 1998. Our latest threat is the emerald ash borer. It is not yet in Montreal, but is some 30 km away. There is an attempt to isolate it; let's hope this is possible.

Our world is getting smaller, with travel and the shipping of food across the world. Hitch-hiking along are insects, which settle in new areas where they have no predators. The devastation they can cause is enormous. We need our local insects, but this is one case where immigration is not welcome. How do we keep that balance in nature that existed long ago?

Day 74: An Old Tree

Day 74: An Old Tree, originally uploaded by susanvg.

This old tree has witnessed much in its lifetime. It must be in the vicinity of one hundred years old. The houses in this neighbourhood are more recent. Some have been around for about 85 years - mine was built in 1936. Was the tree part of a forest and allowed to remain? When the homes were built, there were not many at first. Now it is right in the middle of the city.

Back when this tree was young, some milkmen still delivered their products by horse drawn wagons. There were streetcars in the neighbourhood. Now a subway system transports people around the city. And supermarkets have made most milkmen redundant. This tree has seen so many changes.

What has this tree sheltered? Despite being in a city, there is abundant wildlife in the neighbourhood: squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, skunks, raccoons and even an occasional fox. There are a number of different birds, both those that stay and those that pass through on their way north or south. Is the hole in this trunk serving as a home? Do animals burrow under the roots?

If only trees could talk, what stories they would tell!