What I miss most at this isolating time of Covid is hugging people. Can’t say that it is quite the same emotional high, but hugging a tree
can indeed be very calming and grounding. Even if I don’t often feel compelled to hug a tree,
I like shaking hands with a tree – touching it’s skin. Every tree has a different bark, some are wrinkled and calloused as a hand of an old wise grandmother,
and some smooth as a trembling young bride’s hand waiting for the wedding ring to be slipped on her finger.
Bamboo has the smoothest skin of all.
Wait, bamboo is not a tree at all, but a grass. Though it grows in bamboo forests.
I can’t prove that trees have souls, but they definitely have faces and they keep looking at me!
Planting a tree is the ultimate sense of hope for the future. You hope your grandchildren will sit in it’s shade when you are long gone.
If you need shelter from a sudden storm, a tree can help.
It is the big trees that take our breath away. Some are so tall
that you look up and up and not see the top.
Some are incredibly wide and it is hard to know where roots end and branches begin
Look closely at these roots! They form a living tree bridge
Tree roots can build, but also destroy
Trees make a home for birds and… monkeys
No matter what season, trees are always beautiful.
SPRING
The most famous spring trees in the world are blossoming Sakuras (cherry trees) in Japan. We made a sakura pilgrimage and chased the blossoms south from freezing Hokkaido.
SUMMER
As spring turns into summer, the trees give us the sweetest gift – their fruits. The joy of our childhoods are inextricably linked with picking cherries. I can’t help but wonder with a sad stab in my heart, will our grandchildren still have a chance to experience this delight?
Autumn with its glowing palette of colors and falling leaves is my favorite season.
AUTUMN
We came full circle experiencing the autumn vibes in Japan. There is no place more magical than a Japanese garden with the many different kids of Japanese maples changing colors.
WINTER
With snow comes the quiet reflection of winter (and joyous shrieks of kids).
One of the most famous woods poems written was Robert Frost’s Stoping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Watching the woods fill up with snow while your horse gives his harness bells a shake is fun, I am sure
but so is driving through the woods on a snowy road, with snowlfakes falling and miles to go before we sleep.
Trees welcome the sun in the morning
and rock it to sleep in the evening
Whatever the season or time of day go ahead and hug a tree and you can also tell it your deepest secrets.
But mostly when it comes to trees or anything else in life… Stay curious!
Crazy Parents Travel 
Thanks, Gail
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love your tree photos – cannot live without them
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Jenny, I am sure you recognized some, those that you shared with us on our visit! Such wonderful memories of the time we spent together in the woods and around the dinner table.
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I have been thinking about you and this new post arrived today. As you may remember, we ,too, are tree fanatics ( our dining room just has pictures of various trees around the world that we have collected).This post is very special–I looked at it quickly and sent it on to Art–now I will look at it again more leisurely. I hope all is well with you–I got a good report from my orthopedic surgeon which coincided with the good election news, so our mental as well as physical states of health have improved. I have returned to practicing the piano once again so my life seems more normal now. Have is your new grandchild and her mother doing? Are you still baby sitting quite a lot? I had a two ZOOM birthday last Wednesday–the first from the Orinda Book Club discussing a book that I had recommended “The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit” by Lucette Lagnado a well written book about a family`s exodus from Cairo to New York.If you haven`t read it, it is a quick and interesting tale of two cities. The second ZOOM was a family birthday get together which turned out to be a lot of fun. My eldest grandson was moving that day into his new town house in San Diego and we got a first hand view of the neighborhood and dwelling–complete with stacks of boxes all around. I have certainly rambled on–you are now up to date with our few adventures. Love to you and all the family, Eileen
>
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Eileen, aren’t we both lucky that our times are surrounded by such wonderful mature trees? It is a pain when we have to cut them down.
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Love the trees around the world an your captions.. Not sure when you were last in South Carolina. Yes, we need more trees to protect our future.
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I was in South Carolina when our daughter lived there. It is quite interesting and beautiful, it is too bad the majority of people are so conservative. I am glad she is back in our liberal neck of the woods. 😉
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So much imagination and beautiful destinations, very inspiring.
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Thank you, you are very kind.
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I so admire how you are able to take photos of a single subject and create a wonderful world for us to contemplate. Thank you for making people happy through your gift.
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We have been collecting these pictures for many years on our travels and today they just sort of came together.
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Beautiful pictures – National Geographic will be calling soon!
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I am sure. When they do an Iphone version.
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A life long lover of trees, this post spoke to me … what was said , along with the beautiful photos to match!
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Trees are a bit scarce in your backyard, but blooming saguaros are a sight to behold.
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Nice pictures of trees, nice to read them. 😀
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Thanks, Hana, I am sure you are a big tree hugger, aren’t you!
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Thank you for sharing your personal experiences and thoughts with us! As always your photographs are beautiful, their captions thoughtful and so expressive of your spirits!
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Thank you Sally, our little excursion to Lake Tahoe inspired this blog.
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Beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing.
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Thank you, Jim. Nice to hear from you again.
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Really loved this blog on trees. I sent it to my family and friends. You take amazing photos. Who couldn’t love a tree after seeing these beauties (the trees, I mean!).
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Thank you Margaret for spreading our blog around. Hope it makes others happy and brings some nature to our stressful lives.
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Beautiful photos of majestic trees, hugging them gives me a sense of bliss. Umberto Italy
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Thank you, Umberto. Ciao, Bella Italia!
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Just beautiful and heartwarming! Sara
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Thank you! Hope you have lots of trees to hug wherever you are.
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