How to Climb a Tree

"One of the best ways to see tree flowers is to climb one of the tallest trees and to get into close, tingling touch with them, and then look broad." John Muir

"With ideas it is like with dizzy heights you climb: At first they cause you discomfort and you are anxious to get down, distrustful of your own powers; but soon the remoteness of the turmoil of life and the inspiring influence of the altitude calm your blood; your step gets firm and sure and you begin to look" - for dizzier heights. Nikola Tesla

The hardest part is reaching the lowest branch to pull yourself up.  Sometimes you have to shimmy up the trunk using your feet for leverage to even reach that branch. You can do this.   The fact that it is outside your reach is no reason to give up.  As you ascend,  you must test every successive branch to make sure it is strong and sturdy enough to hold your weight.  Climb high enough to settle in a crook between the branch and the trunk and gaze down upon the world like a minor deity.  From this vantage point, you will gain a different perspective than you can upon the ground.  

Go high enough to feel the movement of the tree and to have an unobstructed view.  Hopefully a fall from this height will not kill or maim you, but that is a risk you take when you dare.  It is unlikely that you will fall if you take your time, hold on tight, test each branch, and pay attention to what you are doing.  The view from the top is worth the climb.  

When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to get out of school to go home and climb the tall poplar next to my house.  I did this almost every day.  I might be a bit old to climb trees now, so I do the next big thing: I hike up mountains.  I'm not talking about Everest or Kilimanjaro here - nothing that requires oxygen and sherpas.  There is something about looking out at the wide expanse of the world from a high viewpoint. A reminder of the vastness has a way of resetting priorities.

If you have never tried to reach the lowest branch or never walked the first mile to begin the climb, you cannot comprehend the view from the top: how everything looks so small and manageable.  It does no good for someone to describe it to you.  You have to see it for yourself. Once you have made the climb, you can see the bigger picture: how it all ties together.  Reach for the bottom branch. 

Thanks for reading,

Arianne

Signs of Spring to Cheer Your Day

“Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'” Robin Williams

“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.” Robert H. Schuller

The weather has been pretty crummy lately, for want of a better word.  We’re pretty spoiled for sunshine here in North Carolina, so several consecutive overcast days leave me feeling a little gray inside.  When I feel the February blahs, I start looking for signs of spring to lift my spirits.  Take a little walk and look, listen, and smell for these…

Birds singing more than usual

Birds can sense the change in season by the increased amount of daylight. It apparently makes them happy, because there is an absolutely riotous bird chorus happening outside my house every morning.  I like to open the window for a few minutes just to listen to their joyous songs.  

Spring Peepers peeping away

I first heard them on a walk along a quiet trail by an abandoned swimming hole a week ago, chirping loud and proud. You’ve probably heard their song announcing the coming of spring, but may have been unaware of the origin.  These little frogs can be found from coast to coast in all sorts of wetlands.

Buds and blooms emerging

I always feel a touch of happiness and hope when I see the fresh green tips of my bulbs emerging through the soil each and every year.  Little bitty blooms decorate the tips of budding branches. Look for them! These early spring flowers are a reminder of the faithful cycle of nature as their scents fill the air.

The smell of spring

Surely, you know the smell.  It is a scent of dampness, worms, rain, and moist soil.  It holds the promise of new growth and fertility.  One day you step outside and there it is.  Then you know warm days and green growth are right around the corner.  Interestingly, I just learned in this article, that warring bacteria are responsible for the smell.  If you are at all interested in the science it’s worth a read.  

In many cultures and traditions, spring is welcomed as an opportunity for regeneration after a period of dormancy.  I can’t help but feel energized when I see the signs of seasonal change.  I think of it as a great time to reevaluate, discard the old, and move on to new challenges.  Spring-cleaning is a great ritual for starting with a clean slate.  I’ll talk more about that in my next post, A Tidy Exterior is Necessary for a Tidy Interior, about a friend of mine who learned this maxim during his years in the Merchant Marine.  

Thanks for reading,

Arianne