Sunday, December 26, 2010

The Ancestors

The trees were here when my grandparents bought this land in the 1920's.




















These trees were already full grown when my mother was a little girl and they towered over my head when I played in this garden as a child. Time has thinned their numbers, but giants still march in place. Four Magnolia grandiflora of such stature as to lose resemblace of form to their smaller relations still grace a garden carved from a southern forest a hundred plus years past their birth.


























My own history with these trees stretches back in time further than I want to admit.




















It's a foreign land now that echoes and resonates with more intensity than the new forest that is my home. Time spent will make the new forest resonate more deeply, when the trees fully trust that I am kama'aina.

5 comments:

Lola said...

Those old trees are precious as there isn't many old growth trees left.
I have felt kindred to old trees that I played around when I was a child, but it seems progress has made a big difference. Seems like things that look familiar to one is getting more rare.
As you progress with your young growth it will become the more familiar.
Snowed here today. Wow, what a surprise.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

You are definitely a child of the land Christopher. It is a good thing.

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Now you're talking my language. Magnolias, azaleas, Spanish moss hanging from the live oak trees. I love driving home to my parents' in winter. The live oaks are still covered with green leaves. There are huge stands of pines where we have only a few short stubby trees in town. Just running sand through my fingers reminds me of where I grew up.

Les said...

There are few trees that evoke such a strong response in me as Live Oaks, especially moss draped.

I hope you had a great Christmas and wish you a wonderful new year.

Pam said...

"Child of the Land" - I like that. It is, perhaps, what we all are - even if we don't know it.

I'm with Les - live oaks resonate. I think it's their strength - they are trees that make us feel safe.

Happy New Year.