It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit (Robert Louis Stevenson)
First you must find... another shrubbery! (dramatic chord) Then, when you have found the shrubbery, you must place it here, beside this shrubbery, only slightly higher so you get a two layer effect with a little path running down the middle. ("A path! A path!") Then, you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest... with... a herring! (Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 1975)
Lily and I walked in the forest again today. Somehow it has a different feeling walking with a dog rather than on your own. I will need to visit the forest without Lily sometime to talk to the trees, and take the power to be part of nature on my own.
The wet weather has encouraged the lichen and the moss and mushrooms to flourish. The green-ness is so soft and comforting. Ariél and I were talking about the contrasts between Africa and England. We agree that Africa has a harshness and extremes. And England, whilst being a ‘nanny’ state has a more yielding nature.
Trees makes me think of the Tree of Life by Gustav Klimt (find a copy at http://www.artinthepicture.com/paintings/Gustav_Klimt/The-Tree-of-Life/)
I love this painting; you will see that my body art was inspired by Klimt’s work.
The tree of life makes me think of Family trees. I have done quite a bit of research into my mom’s family tree, going back to late 1700s. It is so interesting contemplating who the individuals - just a name and a date now – were; what their personalities were like; their stories… I need to ask Ada what information she has on the Sanvitale family history. I have the Nelson family dating back to the 1820s in the old family Bible.
From the comfort of my soft green forest, I will imagine the lives of each leaf of my family tree and perhaps use the dreamt up personas in an art work.
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