Tree

Anyone who knows me, will be aware of my love of nature and witnessing my excited response to the return of Bran the raven on last week's Autumnwatch Unsprung would have cleared up any doubt. If you have a chance to watch 21st Oct episode on the i-player, do, it's an absolute treat. The carrion family - Crows, Rooks, Jackdaws and Ravens are fascinating, very intelligent and so entertaining.

I love all aspects of nature, each part has it's on beauty, some obvious, some a little less so, but beauty nonetheless. There is even a species of slug whose mating ritual is to suspend themselves from a tree and entwined with each other perform and almost balletic move, looking at a slug you wouldn't believe such acrobatics possible! But that's the beauty of nature, it can never be underestimated and shouldn't ever be undervalued.

Aside from all God's creatures, one of my favourite elements of creation is trees, pictured below is a Beech tree which stands next to my house. It's enormity doesn't really come across in this picture but if we have some good weather over the weekend, I'll try and get some different shots of it and ones that do it justice!

Trees are commonplace but so mysterious at the same time. In the sunlight their leaves create dappled patterns on the woodland floor, a canopy of trees over a country lane can give the traveller the sense of being in another country, on losing the leaves, a single tree against a darkening sky is a dramatic site. Trees are a symbol of wisdom, life and shelter. I feel protected and safe having this tree overlooking my garden, it has become a friend and when I eventually move, it will be something I miss dearly.

Perhaps this love of trees started very early in my childhood with the reading of Enid Blyton's The Magic Faraway Tree - secretly I still think that on climbing to the very top of a tree, there will be a ladder to transport me to another world......

P.S Mrs M and Mrs R - I am humbled by your prolific blogging and vow to post more frequently!