On Trees and Other Growing Things

 I am seeing trees everywhere these days, which is no surprise, when you live on Vancouver Island. But I'm seeing them in a new way. I'm paying attention to them. I'm finding they have things to say to me. So I try to make sure my camera is with me at all times, and I have return visits planned to Cathedral Grove and Tofino, and a first time visit to Heritage Park in Qualicum Beach where a forest of old growth trees has been preserved, and I dream about a summer trip to Carmanah and to Meares Island. In the meantime, I'm trying to travel slowly enough through my life to have time to stop off at places like Goldstream Park, just outside Victoria. That's where I took the first two photos. Lots of inspiration in the first one for my most recent workshop assignment, which challenges me to change my perspective. Although I ended up doing something else entirely, which I'll show you when it's further along. And the mossy green covering the bark in the second photo - how do I convey that in a quilt? The third photo is of a tree Nora showed me at a park near her house

in Victoria. We looked up and up and there its branches were dancing in the cold winter air. But as much as Nora likes trees, and birds too, the part she enjoyed most was playing on the swings and slides. Again and again and again, until we were all a little chilly, and bundled her up in a blanket in her wagon, to take her home again. Lessons learned? 1. Never go anywhere without a camera. 2. Nothing beats travelling on foot, for giving you eyes to see the world around you. 3. Don't be so busy looking at the trees, that you miss the birds. 4. No matter how wonderful this creative journey is, a grandchild is the best growing thing of all.