Old Man Willow

[vaneramos]

This morning Brenna wanted to return to the same black willow we climbed yesterday, so here is a view from the ground. I asked her to pick from three images to post here, and she chose this over one that was funnier, and one that was artier. After a few weeks of hanging around with a manic photographer this summer she has evolved from silly to photogenic. She loves showing off for an audience. Sound familiar to anyone?



This big ugly tree always makes me think of Old Man Willow from The Fellowship of the Ring (the book). I keep going back, like one under an enchantment. It is my favourite tree along the Eramosa. I have spent hours sitting on a branch about 4 metres (13 feet) off the ground, reading Walden or writing poetry.

Although completely recovered from surgery in October and March, I still carried a flutter of caution about my body and have been afraid to climb Old Man Willow all summer. Yesterday I put an end to this final inhibition, took off my sandals, scrambled to that high and favourite branch, and took those pictures of the girls.

Comments

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

Dad & me used to go fishing down on the Grand River mostly between Onondaga and Dunville. A lot. These willows have special meaning for me too.

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

http://www.grandriver.ca/index/document.cfm?sec=12&sub1=55&sub2=24

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Is that where you grew up?

[bitterlawngnome.livejournal.com]

Grew up in Hamilton, but we went out there a lot. Every day, during the long days of summer. Dad would pick me up from school or from home and we'd go out until the sun went down. And every weekend. Until I was about grade seven. After that, much more rarely, it was about then he became obsessed with garage sales.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

I don't have much memory of doing things with my dad. The exception was we took art lessons together. And sometimes we would go out sketching together. We used to find decrepit old barns, and park by the roadside and draw them with pen and ink. His obsession was the newspaper and politics.

[rsc.livejournal.com]

It is my favourite tree along the Eramosa. I have spent hours sitting on a branch about 4 metres (13 feet) off the ground

Just be careful not to fall asleep at the base of the trunk.