Tree Poetry

My travel across the island of Jamaica put me in touch with some of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen.  Some of these trees have seen more history than I can imagine. Their scars and growth patterns are breathtaking. Their determination to grow in spite of any weather challenge makes me think of the resilience of the people of Jamaica.  Maybe there is something in the soil.

This tree is called the 'dreadlock' tree because of the growth pattern of the roots.

The netting on this tree is magnificent.

I am married to that tree-hugger in the blue shirt (click on the photo for a better view).  

That tree is really amazing and makes me feel very safe.

Bittersweet

Winter is not all gray and white.

I am hoping this is false bittersweet vine (Celastrus scendens)  rather than the Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) which is considered a nasty invasive.  The former is more rare.  I picked this from along the country roadside where they were many.  Both species are easier to identify with more berries along a larger portion of the stem and certainly with the leaves which I could not see this late in the year.  While the Eastern American version is not as prolific in growing, it is just as beautiful and I hope to order one and plant it at the edge of my woods this spring!  Hopefully I will have some of this next winter to look at closer to my house.

I returned just a few days ago and have several interesting bird photos to share.  Already missing the sound of the ocean on the beach and the feel of tropical mist  on my cheek.

Finally!

Finally a decent (through the window) shot of the purple finch.  They are much deeper in color than the red finch and have that sexy eye patch thing.  I have decided that the red house finch is like the girl or boy next door and the purple finch is like the characters out of Twilight!  (YES, I am STILL on travel...but I love my readers so much I spent time creating pre-posts..or perhaps they are post-posts?)

And below is a photo of the same bird on a page from The Birds of America by James Audubon that was given to me for long-term loan by my neighbor!

Death By Any Other Name

Called 'dead leaf retention'

by those who spend their lives

naming things and processes.

But for me,

I see it as the gentle open

palm revealing the past year's

life lines and energy dances

in the summer wind.

I see it as the refusal

to leave that last curtain call

instead to hold hands bravely

in the sun's spotlight

even though the applause has ended

and the fans have long gone home.

Ever Green

I am still on travel...but set this for an optimism post-post as it was something I found on a January hike.  I was able to capture this just minutes before I fell on my backside and slide 10 feet down the hill in the mud and deer doo-doo.  With green like this can spring be far behind?