In My Garden: Natural Bustline

There are unknown forces in nature; when we give ourselves wholly to her, without reserve, she lends them to us; she shows us these forms, which our watching eyes do not see, which our intelligence does not understand or suspect. -- Auguste Rodin

At the end of the summer last year we had one of our property fencelines refenced. The contractor was very sensitive and artistic in giving our old oaks some room to grow. When wandering through our gardens with my cat Angelina last week, I noticed this silhouette. What a wonderful thing to behold! I often picture tree limbs as the legs of lovers entwined, but never have I really noticed the bustiness of tree bumps until framed by redwood planks!

The Mother's Heart

Close

Well, I was visiting some of my favorite blogs and stopped by The Dance of a Painted Lady, who in a recent post speaks most lovingly about trees. A kindred spirit, I thought about my most favorite tree in the world that resides on Deer Island. She's a California Bay Laurel that must be over 200 years old. I call her "The Mother". It's because I just feel so nurtured when I walk underneath her limbs. I have written about her several times here and I will most likely mention the great lady again, because she consistently brings a feeling of magic to my life. I took these pictures yesterday, it was still very wet and gray out. I took them because as I stood on the outskirts of her dripping, draping canopy, I saw across the way that her limbs come together to form a heart. I couldn't believe it! It felt like such coincidence, a cosmic joke, and a beautiful, loving gift -- all rolled up into one! For me it is just one more thing that serves as evidence that life is so much more than what on the surface it appears to be.

Closer

Closest

Feeling My Mane in the Wind

Intro Spread from Deer Island Altered Book

How I love my walk/runs on Deer Island -- a small little island of property owned by our local watershed company. Once it was surrounded by San Fransisco Bay waters, now there is a paved road access, and surrounded on three sides by wetlands. Waterfowl, hawks, foxes, coyotes, deer, long-eared Western jackrabbits, songbirds galore. And trees, hundreds of bay laurels and a myriad of oak tree species.

Everytime I walk or run on Deer Island, I feel nourished, uplifted, in the flow, and just plain happy. My hair flows behind me as I run through the woods, as I run by the big Bay Laurel I call "The Mother", as I pass the old Miwok middens, as I pass the reservoir with all of the waterbirds, as I am greeted and answer the hawks that fly overhead and seem to know my name. I have always loved being with nature outdoors. And this place is sacred to me. I see and greet shadows of past lovers, departed horse companions, long lost grandparents and great-grandmothers. I see the future I am moving into. And it has been for a long time, and will continue to be a source of my creativity.