I posted a photograph of something that inspired me a few months ago. It was a random moment to be inspired. It’s not something I plan to do often, but I did like how it broke up the story posts with something different.
Had a bit more of that in the last couple of days. The movement restrictions have eased in the area so I have been out walking. The spot I prefer to walk in the morning gives me a fun, two kilometer (a bit more than a mile) stroll. I suppose the time away from this spot, made worse because I rarely go there in winter, made it more impactful.
I took quite a few pictures, partly to compensate for my photography failing and partly to capture as much as I could. I will not spam these. Posted are highlights. If you like nature and trees and such, then this will probably appeal to you. A recent post by the Wee Writing Lassie also helped prompt this exposition. Yes, trees and nature are amazing.
I owe a small thanks to my dog, who enjoys these walks even more than I do. She is partly why I go out of my way to walk in natural areas.I do not know why, but looking up at the trees from below is really cool. I have appreciated this sort of thing for as long as I can remember. It is something that clears my mind (or is that just vertigo in action?)Open areas by the water are pleasant; they just are.Ideally, I get the walk finished by 6:30am. An upside of the early hour, on most days, is a calm wind making slow flowing stretches of river give a nice reflection.And sometimes the imagery is pure chaos, a jumble of everything just happening all at once.The photograph doesn’t do this justice so I will fill in the blanks. I did crop it as well as I could. This tree is bent into a complete arc, probably because another tree fell it or it was bent as a sapling. Whatever the reason, this tree has no business being alive. It is rooted in a flood-prone area next to a river and is pointed entirely in the wrong direction. The only sliver of hope is a slight opening in the canopy above, which this tree is fighting for. It is difficult to see, but there are branches along the top of the tree shooting up with healthy leaves on them. The apex of the trunk is roughly seven feet from the ground and the branches have gone up another five or six feet, fighting for access to light with the other trees. What a fighter! Sorry for the long caption, but, in some cheesy way, this should inspire you to never give up.
John Settger 