Hawthorn

Today I thought I'd spend some contemplative moments with the small Hawthorn we have in our garden. Share some time with it's beautiful unrestrained structure & shape, so different from the controlled Hawthorn hedge of our neighbours boundary screen. Today I respectfully observed, took a couple of photographs. Maybe this one will become my Ally. I thanked the lovely woody plant for allowing me to share its wondrous growth, its pulsating gentle energy & its amazing internal universe.
The bare structure of the branches are just beginning to come into the smallest tips of bud. A beautiful red  sprout blossoms from the branch. The thorns are quite exquisite if they weren't quite so sharp :).  A complete matrix providing the perfect fertile ground for all blossom & leaves to grow.

Bumbling Browse

Today - armed with our new camera I set off - turning right outside our lane to see what trees I could recognise.  Thought I'd have a trial run with camera & labelling!!  So far not quite so good as I thought. I recognised the little clutches of trees & some of the big ones but then couldn't recall their names - even though we were just looking at some last week in my book.  Ooh dear - blame it on the weather lol.  So for now I'll upload the photographs but will leave the recognition til later.  Please - any help is greatly appreciated :) 

This wonderfully curly bush in on the road on route to the meadow :)

The bark looks full of ladies faces :)

Tree tops :) 

 The path between seems to help separate the tree types :)  How  lovely is that!!

There are some Ancient Woodland areas too which I will visit. Everyday I will try to use the dog walk to head off in a different direction so to identify where certain trees are. What fun, our little dog will be most pleased :) Great excuse to dawdle through the woodlands with my camera. 

This trunk seemed to be made up in circles :). the bark had lots & lots of lines round the bark.

 This was one huge beautiful tree with lots of trunks. 

 This lovely old tree looked entwined, swaddled & wrapped in love :)

 This was a beautifully undulating trunk

This one almost looks as if it split down,  growing into a picnic & viewing chair to allow lots of adults & children to climb up & play on :)

Aw poor tree, looks like the horses have stripped & eaten some of the bark? You can see many teeth mark upon the tree. Bless.

 This looked a wonderful cluster of medusa roots & regrowth at the base of a huge trunk

 Some panoramic trees which line one of the meadows where we sometimes walk through with our little dog.

Naturally the whole area & skyline looks so very different once all the leaves are fully grown. I will enjoy taking photographs of each wonderful Season.  

Hawthorn Blossom - Herbal Ally

These were taken last year, at the moment all the branches are undressed in their Winter naked attire. Leaf buds are just beginning to appear. I think stunning flowers are from our Hawthorn bush - as opposed to next doors Hawthorn hedges - they're such beautiful blossom.  Some it seems have pink tipped stamen & some brown !! Not sure if its the process of change & growth or a different kind of flowering Hawthorn.

So looking forward to Spring this year, to be able to identify our resident plants will be sooooo wonderful.

Objectives

I'm sure Sarah asked us somewhere to think about what we would like to achieve during the apprenticeship - our greatest hopes.  Although I can't find any trace of this suggestion or question. Hmmm, so not sure now whether she did or didn't. Nevertheless I do have  some objectives, as I have been thinking about what feels most important this year for me to achieve .

Firstly I would love to expand & improve my relationship with plants & trees. The heart is such a wondrous organ of perception & always the plants, flowers or trees activate the love within my heart when admiring their structure, beauty & essence. So, with this in mind - heart being the organ of perception open, unconditional love resonating - I'd like to use the essence of love/creativity as a medium for communicaton. To allow the plants to share their sacred secrets with me, to hear the whisper of their teachings & to feel their inherent intelligence.

So much knowledge can be transported during an energy exchange, so I'd like to consciously apply & create a similar channel - understanding - be open towards all the plant's  teachings & all it wishes to share with me.  Once I have a greater deeper understanding I would then like to embrace the energy of plants & their medicinal properties to create & use in the family home. Whether that be in salads, vegetables, tinctures etc.

Tree Love Affair

Tree tops

Honestly, its truly a sacred love affair. Trees I think were my very first love, ever since I can remember first seeing the world I just was in awe of trees, simply adored trees. Throughout all of my youth I was either climbing them, hugging them, resting on them, planting them, watching them & inadvertently utilising their life force. Trees are as much part of my day as breathing, drinking & eating. Everyday I can easily bore anyone who will listen about how beautiful the trees look, the clouds & their multiple ever changing formations, the sky & erm  ...  the trees ... did I mention the trees?!!  Today was no different, except today I'm going to share my love of trees & some of our garden trees with you fellow herb'bhuddies.
The trees hold no descriptions as many I haven't - as yet - named nor researched but I'm sure you knowldgeable lot will know their true labels.  Today though, I'd just like to share their essence - their love, their vibrating energy, their connection,  place, their purpose & unified connection to our life cycles & love affairs here upon the hill.  So you too can simply feel & become as one with the energy of the trees.
All of these photographs were taken late this afternoon in our garden at Sun down.  The dog is our family pet :) she's such a cutie - the cats are usually right next to us - chasing the dog - but today they refused to come out to play due to it being way too cold for them (even though they've got their own lovely fur coats) The woodpecker is one of our residential woodpecker family, who have been our steadfast neighbours since the day we moved in - over twenty years ago. We've never been without a woodpecker family!

Anyway, back to sensing the trees . .(you'll notice I'm very much out of my mind, detached from thoughts , expectations, labels & reasoning & very much into sensing the energy, the life force :).  Hope you too will be able to feel the love, sense the power & resonate the vibration of these few remarkable trees & all their wondrous healing capacities .

This is our very own Tree of Life :) its our cyclic tree, its orbicular supportive form entwines  a circle of space (energy vortex to me ) Its top greets & meets the other tree tops creating a panoply of branches - subsequently leaves - a living canopy shielding us from the glorious sunshine or nourishing raindrops.

At its large circular base it has grown into 7 trunks from which  a total of 12 main  branches emerge. I think its original main trunk was cut down by the previous owners.  It graces the Western corner of our garden,high above the usual tree tops.  It sits at both the bottom of the lawn & at the top of the garden steps which lead down into further wild scatterings of shrubs & trees. It seems to dance through each & every season. It forever shifts & transforms yet its deep roots help its core to stand firm against all prevailing winds, whilst its branches freely sway in tune with the rhythm & song of the winds.

Here's a 'magic' photograph, it really makes the dance seem more realistic :) Can you see the way they hold each other as if in rhythm & dance. :) Beautiful

Its tall & long branches reach so high & spread so wide, often sprouting even more branches which all together create an umbrella, a peaceful canopy of protection.  Simultaneously bringing us a strong sense of having a birds eye perspective. It commands such great panoramic views.
To stand beneath the trunks, with your back right up against one of its trunk, to lift back your head & rise your eyes to gaze up , it feels as if the tree is part of your spine - its a truly wonderful feeling. So tall yet so stabilising. A strong inner core, supporting structure, flexible - reliable & nourishing.

Next, we have a wonderful japanese looking tree, its branches bend & bow hanging down like a willow except they're rather Fern like & Pine looking!

All branches host the most beautiful clusters of minuscule seeds, which are almost camouflaged. This photograph is taken from beneath the branch.  The tree to me feels so humble, it oozes respect & honour - so gracious.  It seems to bow courteously at the foot of wall the other trees. Yet its modest humility isn't deserved, its a rather awesome tree.  Its curvy graceful beautifully textured trunk. Its long meandering,  elegantly bowing  branches heavily adorned like a christmas tree with such intricate little fern like spindle leaves. Very oriental looking. It stands strong yet humble at your feet. Its feet/trunk almost look elegantly crossed as she curtsy's :)

Always ready to serve, bend & bow - always  lets the wind hurtle through without ever changing its form. Stability, cleansing, purification & strength are its essential qualities. Its as true as night & day. Reliable & faithful, full of compassion & knowledge which is shares when necessary. 

So many of our trees I don't know what kind they are, once these come into life & have their leaves it will be easier for identification. Meanwhile they all with such dignity pull together, adapt & survive against the adversities of our Seasonal, harsh elements. Enduring & transformational.

Many of them naked, yet never do they falter their appearance makes no difference to their internal wisdom, their inherent knowledge.. like the caterpillars infinite trust soon it will become a butterfly. Even though the winds blow across many miles, nothing in front of the trees to protect them from such winds - still they stand firm, together united loyal & true. Trusting life's process, bowing to & owning the true power of the moment, taking all they need from the ground beneath. Converting energy as & when needed. Always replenishing, basking in the warmth of the Sun as it sets.  

There are only panoramic views from our garden & windows - seeing as far as 45 miles on a clear day. The sunsets therefore are wholly stunning. The colours amazing, the rays of sun drench our home & fill our world with so many different hues. Today they were soft, warming range of orange & pink. A wonderful vibration of peace, love & vitality. As the sun was setting I played with the dog, her coat looking so rich & textured, she looked so beautiful in the warm luminous glow.

It seemed even our residential woodpecker was enjoying the sundowns too as he sat quite happily. Usually they whole family are quite timid but not this time, he gave us a wonderful treat, allowing a few photographs to be taken which is quite remarkable.

Think we also had a visit by the fox, this isn't at all like our dogs paw print so I am assuming its a fox. . . unless its a neighbours dog. No matter who's print it is it looked so lovely amongst the trees.Looks rather big so maybe it is our neighbours dog, which is a lot bigger than our little one.

At the sides of our garden we have the most gorgeous Beech hedges. One of them in particular runs almost half of the length of the garden Its at least 4ft deep & 12ft tall. Its one of my favourite hedges. The colour always vibrant & energising. Rarely does it shed her coat of many colours. In the Summer its the most gorgeous lush bright light green. 

Throughout the Winter its the most stunning amber rustic orange. Watching the panels of the hedge change colour as Spring arrives always inspires me every year. So durable, seems to protects us no matter what the Season is, sheltering us from openness & exposure. A natural shield against the extremes. I just love the richness of colour, the enveloping way all the small leaves weave together to make a blanket of colour.

It seems everywhere, but some of the ivy & other climbers in particular are adorning the fence & tree trunks. I think the berries, buds & pods of all are absolutely fascinating. Take a look at these gorgeous tiny little seeds/bulbs, not sure what they are but they are simply stunning, such an intricate design & so obviously purposeful. 

Everything has its place & purpose in the grand scheme of things. All being part of  a delicate balance to maintain.

Finally I can't end today's love affair without mentioning my old Cypress which once stood almost as if on guard at the entrance of our drive - between Hawthorn, Conifers & Hawthorn -  the most magnificent specimen. So old & so sooooo tall.  Almost of mystical stature & presence.  Yet all which remains of her now is the cut pieces of her amazing trunk, stored & stacked  to season, then next year or year after her wood will keep us warm during the long cold Winter months.  Where the Cypress once stood, so proud  & filling most of the width of the drive with her  presence. Now there is an productive space, a wonderful emptiness allowing the energy of life to circulate & flow directly to our home.  It was a terrible sad loss, its cutting down wasn't a choice but a compulsory order.  As so many of the trees roots around our home were causing movement or otherwise known as subsidence. We didn't mind the movement - we love our trees - but before our buildings could be repaired & for the continuity of our home insurance a few trees  by the instruction of the insurance company had to be removed.  

So here, with respect & in honour to our gorgeous Cypress is the beautiful last photograph taken. Our lovely Cypress & her huge trunks, which are still protecting us but in a different way.  Simultaneously ensuring & creating a new vital energy flow, linking us to new channels which were previously blocked by her huge presence. Also I'm making some outdoor furniture with pieces of her trunk, a wonderful table & little outdoor stools. 

In loving memory & with warm thanks to all our trees. . . but here especially with love & thanks to our very much missed Cypress. Thank you for all amazing energy, power & vitality you shared & share in so many ways.