Walking in the Woods

Ginko tree

Snow, Burgos

The night of falling stars obscured by clouds at San Pelayo

San Pelayo Ash with full moon

That's my baby!

The best ash tree in the world and a good friend during 3 weeks, looking good in all lights!

Good ideas grow on trees

A bit smultzy but who cares?

Trees and waterfall

An early winter morning

A bare oak reaches to feel
The flawless morning sky,
Cobalt, tinged with steel.
Trunk bending in solid grace,
Its coiled branches turning,
Bursting into fine black lace.
With one less winter night,
The oak awaits the sun
To set its buds alight.

I spent last New Year 2010 in a rambling chateau in Normandy at a friend's 60th birthday celebration. Staying for nearly a week we all helped cook for thirty and playing games, letting off 12 lanterns into the night sky at the stroke of twelve on New Years Eve. As we set off to camp on the coast a few days later the air grew colder and the wind brought snow in its breath. This year of course we had the excitement of the snow arriving much earlier and the ground turned to vast sheets of ice. 

A present from Jules

The Tree from Joho on Vimeo.

Giving the roble a hug

As promised, I gave the roble I big hug for you, Karen, and your mum. So did Ricardo but the photo didn't match the sentiment and has been consigned to the bin. Instead, here are some crocus (Crocus tommasinianus, I think) and 

 some mushrooms. A mists and mellow fruitfulness weekend.

The Oak Tree in San Pelayo

Temple of Heaven

Nature can be so untidy...

Winter trees

The trees at Gernika on market day

The bright light of the stars is dimmed;
A few drops of rain begin to fall.
Now the trees know that Autumn approaches,
And softly from leaf to leaf
The news is whispered.

Yuan Mei
China 18th century

News from BS7...

So here I am in Bristol, in England, in the Land of Eng. For how long I don't know, but right now I feel the excitement of someone who has travelled here from the other side of the globe. I go to college on the other side of town and when ever I can, I cycle. Down the long, long, long, gentle slope of the bustling highstreet known as Gloucester road, past the graffiti buildings of Stokescroft, onto the wide aggressive roads of the centre; BigBusLand. But once over the bridge to Spike island, I whizz my way along the footpath next to the river,  over another footbridge, through Needle Park, around the brick red warehouses turned into arts centres, under-passing large complicated roundabouts heavy with traffic until I get to Bower Ashton just below Ashton Court park. Somehow this route avoids all the many hills of Bristol. Going back in the dark is not so pleasant and so I take my car on the days I think I will stay late, which is most days. But then I get the nicest moment of all. I park my car at the top of the hill above the college in the Ashton court carpark. I've not yet explored Ashton Court  itself but the grounds are full of deer, and Harts of the Wood with their antlers standing proudly erect. And huge trees of some great age standing like weight lifters holding their heavy loads to the sky. And as I walk up the hill at the end of the day, the sun still staining the sky, I turn to look at the wide panorama of Bristol in the distance with the Clifton suspension bridge elegantly crossing the gorge and I think: 

I did it, I'm really here.... 

It's the best moment of the day.

Australian tree dwellers

Koalas have tough pads of skin on their bottoms - they carry around their own cushions!

Kookaburras live in permanent pairs and hatch 2-3 young each year. The juvenile birds help their parents incubate and rear the next generation.

Roble acompañado

Mejor acompañado 1 de Agosto de 2009

Nogalito Silvestre

Sólo en el pueblo. 24 de Julio de 2009