The week that was

Twas a busy week... bottling Monday, FinCom meeting and Town Council meeting to report on Tues/Weds, A Christmas Carol Times Two! to help with on Thursday... a couple of productive meetings Saturday morning, errands mixed in for the remainder of the day  put up the tree and lights

Christmas tree 2013

before setting down by the fire place for the evening to wind down.

roaring fire 12/14/13

tree rain

listen to ‘tree rain’ on Audioboo

angel on top

The wreath on the front door arrived a couple of weeks ago. The window lights went in this past weekend just after the tree was set up.

The angel in lights went on top then Allison took over to decorate the remainder of the tree.

Are you preparing for Christmas?

see the forest for the trees

The woods can be inviting. With the leaves down, you can see further now than you could earlier this year.

Perspectives matter. What do you see? Do you see further?

Do you see hazards?

Do you see the potential?

Tree replaced by network

The tree of knowledge was a good metaphor for describing our knowledge of life and how things connected one another. The concept has been around for quite sometime. The tree as metaphor is now becoming recognized as not sufficient enough to really explain the connections. This RSA Animate video shows how the network or web of life is a better view.



Of course, if we are fortunate to stick around for awhile, there may also be a better metaphor discovered as our understanding of life continues to develop.

What do you think about this?

Maple blight

Maple blight is here again this year. As soon as the leaves spread out, it is already appearing making holes in the leaves.




Can a tree expert shed some info on this? Apparently, the tree still obtains enough stuff to keep going but what is the real damage done?

Where's the exit?

Is that really an exit?



Looks more like a tangled web that you wouldn't get out of.

Yet squirrels can hope about from limb to limb crossing from one side of the tree to another tree and so on down the way.

There is a way.

You need to find it. No one can show you.

It is yours to find!

Puddle reflections

Branches. Or roots?

Similar structure. One above ground, one below.



All really depends upon your point of view.

What do you see when you look around today?

Did you hear the tree fall?

If no one hears the tree fall, has it really fallen? In this case, yes. The tree split and fell some time this afternoon. Not sure exactly when, folks were home but no one heard it. Doesn't mean it didn't fall. It did. It will take some work to cut it up and clear it out. Fortunately, no significant damage (other than to the tree itself).

Good thing it didn't fall the other way. Our neighbors fence would have taken a beating!

Maple blight reappears

It took about a week for the buds to burst, the trees to loose their skinny nakedness, and put on their cloaks of green.

Seemingly at the same time as the leaves were spreading out, the maple blight has appeared.




What does this mean? for the trees, for their growth, for impact on us?

job search notes: adjusted, true to the core

Such is the power of nature, to adjust to the influences around it

 

Do you adjust to the influences around you? 

While keeping true to the essence of you?

And the angel takes her place

In the 'many hands make light work' category, the family divides the duties for preparing the house for Christmas. Dolores takes down the ones from Thanksgiving and sets out the Christmas decorations. I take care of setting up the tree.

I string the lights on it and then do a single light in the front windows. The girls usually alternate turns in putting the angel on the top. Allison was out to a movie with her cousin and Carolyn was in Greece so I had to place the angel then string the lights from that plug. Now the tree will be ready for the remainder of the decorations.

The girls join in decorating the tree. This year, Allison will have the lead with Carolyn providing some advice via Skype from Greece.

Enjoy!

The naked tree

First step to decorate the tree is to put it up:

Tonight, the lights will get hung on the tree. Allison is stopping home this weekend to decorate it. Her sister Carolyn will participate via remote connection from Greece.

Yes, maple blight is in full force

Yes maple blight is in full force again this year here in Franklin MA, originally uploaded by shersteve.

again this year here in Franklin MA

What's this?

What's this?, originally uploaded by shersteve.

What came first? the building or the tree?

or did they grow together and co-exist harmoniously?

Oh, this was found in central PA.

Tertiary education: Lesson of the tree

NiagaraFalls: Lesson of the tree, originally uploaded by shersteve.

From the base of this tree looking up, branching out takes on new meaning. The tree is eager for sunlight. It branches out to expand its sunlight potential.

Similarly, if we looked below ground, the tree is extending its root base to provide support for its growth.

Sitting under a tree during a break in last week's bike ride I realized that a tree as single minded as it is, still branches out. A "newtonian" moment.

What is your trunk or central core?
What are your branches?

Maybe you should consider branching out?
There is an opportunity for more sunshine by doing so.

There is also the caution to branch from your core. That is a stronger branch, than if branching from another branch.

Maple tree blight is back

Maple tree blight
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

The trees have just about fully bloomed and the blight has already returned. These maple leaves in our yard are beginning to look like Swiss cheese.

Some of the trees on the walk to the Franklin train station are in worse condition. It seems they may be more susceptible than the maples. The red maples are also being hit hard.

What is it like in your area?
Posting and photo from last year

Decorated

The flash did some funky coloring on the undersides of some of the branches.

Enjoy!