Next Chapter

I was in the mountains this last weekend after several weeks of typically busy time in the city. Since we had the big snow storm during the holidays, most of the snow is melted although there are patches of snow here and there. When I got to my beloved woods by our house, I got to visit The Tree I’ve been writing about except now it’s lying on the ground. When I first went to see it after it was fallen by the forest services, it was still pretty snow covered. This time, there wasn’t much snow so I could see the whole tree laying down.

I had been talking to the local gallery where I have exhibited my photography a few times about the next show I would like to do. I told them when this tree falls, that would “conclude” this series of photographs I’ve been making about this tree. Now that it did fall, I let them know I’m ready for the show and started gathering the images I have made over the years in this woods.

Yet, as I visited it this past weekend I realized the story is far from “conclusion.” This enormous trunk of the tree is now a part of the landscape here in the woods. It was actually quite moving to be able to walk around it touching the trunk and branches now on the ground. I sat on the upper branch and admired its smooth surface after the barks fell off. This tree must have stood there for almost 200 years, and it was time for it to lie down. Now I will get to visit it in a whole new way. It’s a new chapter of my relationship with the tree.

Along with this tree, many other trees were cut down changing the scenery of the woods completely. Forest services did their job to protect the community from the fire hazard. I was aware of my attachment for the tree and the densely treed scenery. At the same time, I know nothing stays the same, and such is the nature of life. I’m looking forward to the new chapter with the woods.