Nature Observation 3

From one bold trunk twist thick, slightly gnarled branches filled to the brim with mostly green leaves. Although it may not be an evergreen, it is holding up well in the recent near-freezing temperatures. At the base of the trunk is a knot that looks as though some small woodland creature could store food or make a home in it. The branches extend much taller than one might think based on the somewhat stunted height of the trunk. The highest of the branches look as if they dancing with each other and the sky. One might even think that those branches belonged to a different tree entirely because of the shape they give the tree.

Overall, the shape mimics that of bonsai trees I have seen in botanical gardens. The bottom branches seem to extend on a plane parallel to the ground. None of the lower branches droop under the weight of the leaves they carry. Towards the top of the tree, the leaves become less dense and it looks as though someone has meticulously trimmed and groomed this tree to look the way that it does. Perhaps the master gardener is simply the earth.

The leaves are long and skinny, almost glossy on the side that presents, and muted and matte-looking on the underside. When I saw this tree, I thought to myself "If it wasn't 35 degrees, I would bring a picnic blanket and just sit under the shade and beauty of this tree." And perhaps I will this summer.