The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see Nature all ridicule and deformity, and some scarce see Nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, Nature is Imagination itself.
William Blake, 1799, The Letters
I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.
Henry David Thoreau, 1817 - 1862
I like trees because they seem more resigned to the way they have to live than other things do.
Willa Cather (1873-1947)O Pioneers 1913
If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.
Jack Handey
This tree and I have had a tumultuous relationship, but we now understand each other. If it screamed for no good reason, I'd scream right
Chesapeake Bay Woman
6 comments:
Do you remember.... In gloucester, between the church on the hill and what's now holly hill antiques, the big old tree in the middle of the empty field? It was so pretty to look at and just seemed 'artsy' to me, begging for a picture. Now there is a whole stand of trees where that lone tree used to be. Time marches on....
Listen if trees could scream, would we even want them? I can hear it now...get your roots off me, you're always hogging my water. These darn birds and squirrels, maybe if I scream, they will go elsewhere:)
The locust in winter makes such a pretty picture!
It's a good tree. And even better because it doesn't scream.
When I was knee high to a grasshopper my Grandfather and I would take long walks in the woods. I would notice him staring at the large Oaks and Elms in the forrest. So being the little worry wart (BRAT) I was back then ( and may still be) I ask : Why are you always looking at those damn tree's? After picking my self up off the ground ,and getting reamed for cursing! He said : This would be a great place to build a house. What I wanted to say was : A House out here in the woods, in the middle of no where! You have lost your mind! But after being shoved to the ground for cussing, I thought twice about it! Instead I asked: Why here? With a big grin, (I know now this was always the question he was looking for) He looked down at me and Said : Look at that big Oak and those three Elms,if you built your house right in the middle of them you would be warm in the winter and cool in the summer! Now completely confused,I ask the question that I knew would get a response "WHY" He laughed and said because tree's are nature's heating and air condition ! I look up (reframing from cussing again) and said WHAT! He explained: God makes the leaves fall off in the winter, letting the sun light in to warm you, and puts the leaves back on in the summer to block the sun, an keep you cool! and if you build your house right here (pointing at a spot) you will get the best of both season's. By this time i was off chasing a rabbit. But I do remember or talks.
Thanks CBW for bringing that one back.
Kate - I do remember that tree, I loved it. That space looks so empty and lonely now without it.
Anonymous - I love that story. Thank you for sharing.
Deborah and Country Girl - This particular tree may not scream right now, but it sure can cause others to scream if they happen to be walking barefoot under it in the summer. Thorns. Big ones.
Oh my goodness, Kate....I do remember that tree, also. I haven't been by there in a while, but didn't know it was gone. It was so picture perfect....words couldn't do it justice!
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