I noticed a couple of my fellow bloggers taking part in an exciting project which I finally got round to looking at this week. The Tree Year blog has been set up to coincide with the International Year of Forests and is encouraging people to pick a tree to observe closely for one year.
As soon as I read about it I knew I wanted to join in and I’m really looking forward to reading other people’s contributions and getting to know a variety of trees across the world through their eyes. It was easy for me to pick my tree as I’d already committed to spending the year observing a group of my favourite Hawthorns for a herbal project Brigitte, Lusach and I are hoping to put together about this wonderful healing tree.
Of the group I have one particular favourite. Here she is in October:
And again in December:
As the year progresses I’ll be posting about the changes I observe, the medicines I make and any other thoughts or inspirations that she evokes. As soon as the weather warms up a bit I’ll be out with my sketch pad too! I’ve written about Hawthorn a couple of times before looking at the blossoms here and the berries here.
If anyone else fancies joining in the instructions on the site are as follows:
Be more aware of the little things in life – see and enjoy the diversity and beauty of the life and colors on a tree – and share it with others.
How to start:
- Pick a tree – either one you like a lot or one that you see every day on your way to work or that happens to live on your balcony.
- Observe it: every day or once a week or less. What grabs your attention? What kind of animals are and what kind of plants grow on it?
- Write about your observation, make sketches or take photographs and share it with us.
Darcey Blue over at Gaia’s Gifts is also looking at Hawthorn so it will be interesting to see how our observations differ, she being in the US and me in the UK. Clare at Hedgerow Hippy is looking at a lovely Lime tree and Ananda at Plant Journeys is spending time with her favourite Birches. There are many other contributors too, have a look by following the link at the top of the post.
What a wonderful opportunity to learn, raise awareness and celebrate our amazing tree friends!
I so want to do this. I’m thinking of my beloved black walnuts. What a wonderful way to get to know them better.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Hi April, that sounds great, I’d love to read your walnut inspirations x
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Hi Lucinda,
This is very exciting. thanks for telling me about it.
Love Sue
xxxx
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Hi Sue,
I do hope you join us, all your celtic wisdom would be wonderful to read! x
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Dear Lucinda,
I love your hawthorn~ Such a shapely tree! I’m following the Osage Orange in our backyard (but I haven’t blogged about it yet; just journaling). It’s exciting for me to do this, too.
Love,
Marqueta
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Oh wonderful, I shall look forward to reading about it when you start blogging. Such a lovely thing to share, the love of trees. xx
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Thanks for sharing this wonderful project Lucinda. I’ve been wandering around the woods behind our house trying to pick a tree and it’s so terribly hard to choose! I think I may go with the old twisted apple tree in the backyard…
I’m excited to get to know everyone else’s trees too, especially your beautiful hawthorn.
XOXO,
D
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I know, once you start thinking of all your favourite trees it becomes really hard to choose! I am notoriously indecisive so it was lucky I’d already decided to look at those Hawthorns. Your apple sounds great, I think the apple tree has one of the most loving and friendly energies of all trees. Looking forward to reading your posts. x
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I am very excited that you are following hawthorn. I am still trying to locate one in my area. The u.s. distribution map shows I should have at least two different types around here. Sometimes I have to really hunt as so many of our hedgerows and such have been farmed over. Hopefully in the spring. I am vacillating between white pine, maple, and tulip tree which all make for a very shady garden here at Comfrey Cottages:) We will see… lol xxx
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