Well… I am usually a ‘rocks’ kind of girl. I have been fascinated by geology and rocks for years. I even have a ‘rock box’ in which I place treasured rocks which catch my eye from the side of the road when we stop…. but this trip – suprisingly the rock box is nearly empty! – and I have been really interested in the trees.

The trees have spoken to me.

It all started by opening to trying new things… and I listened… and I tried a tree potrait….and then I have been really drawn to observe and listen to how I respond to the trees.

I saw this one in a paddock; stopped, grabbed my camera and tripod… went over and sat and before I took any images – I just listened.

What I saw in the tree was aspects about myself.

This tree didn’t look like all the other trees around it. It looked like it had been through some difficult times. This tree stood strongly – even standing on its own. It was determined to go at a tangent to all the other trees around it. Its trunk was strong. Its bark was rough, tough and quite gritty – showing signs of age.  There were dead bits which weren’t of any use any more – yet it was still flourishing with healthy leaves. It provided shelter and food for birds and insects. Although not following the same shape as the other trees around it, it still continued to grow upward. It held its place in the paddock and through it’s uniqueness commanded being noticed and respected. It seems to be very happily growing strongly where it was.  Its leaves blew and played in the wind, yet came to rest between the gusts.

This tree spoke to me and I listened.

Just by sitting quietly and listening I connected with recognising all these things which were actually about myself.