One Tree

one tree bears witness
to a cyclic progression
rooted sentinel

One Tree #1

Although I joined in with @Ripitup's One Tree project a few weeks ago, that was just through back tagging most of my Sentinel Tree blips from the past couple of years.

When I used to teach an Environmental Issues 101 class, one of the activities that I'd set was for everyone to think of their favourite tree, describe it to the rest of the class and reflect on their attachment. Of course many of the class wouldn't have consciously thought about having a favourite tree, but the question stimulated thinking and everyone could come up with something. One of the notable things about the discussions that ensued was that nearly all the trees brought forward as favourites had some social meaning. They weren't valued for their ecology, or their beauty but because of some social or cultural association. People remembered trees that they'd climbed up, swung on and picked apples from. Trees were places to meet, to take shelter, to pause or to meditate.

This tree is my favourite on the moor, and a landmark as there aren't that many mature trees in this landscape. It's a five minute walk up the hill from home and marks the divide between pasture and the moor itself. It's where I stood for my two year blip. The first of May seemed a good point to make a more conscious effort to start recording the tree and the life in and around it. I won't photograph it on the first of every month, but will aim for something thereabouts.

I haven't another May 1st image of the tree to compare it with, but just to illustrate what great markers of the variance in seasonal progression trees are, here it is:

on April 25 2008 - bare branches and snowbound

on April 25 2011, in full leaf.

After a hard winter and a cool spring, this year's buds are just beginning to unfurl. By June 1st we should have a green tree back again.

Meanwhile, every cow has a silver lining.