Tree Huggers

People who have spent time in Oregon (and California), as we have, are sometimes jokingly referred to as "tree huggers." We accept the title happily. We actually do hug trees. Here's some evidence of our arboreal affections: two pictures of the same massive pine in California's Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park.

We had hiked out on the Woods Canyon trail to see one of the many waterfalls in the park. "The Sphinx" stood in silent vigilance due south of us. You can see its twin-peaked summit on the right side of the picture. Great cliffs and spires of granite rose to the heavens all around us. If you look closely, you can even see Ping at the bottom of the tree, giving it a hug.

Sometimes it's good to get this kind of perspective. Yes, we are very, very small, but our attitude toward our environment can have a huge impact. How are we caring for our surroundings?

Every once in awhile, when we see a tree, we think about how it holds rainwater before shedding it, how passing underneath its broad branches cools us on a hot day. The tree is both habitat and food for all kinds of creatures. We think it's pretty amazing that it just stands there, takes care of itself, and helps everyone else breathe a little easier, just by being alive.


Consider this 2005 Ted talk by architect William McDonough, one of the authors of "Cradle to Cradle."  It was one of the things that got us thinking about how we can change our impact. Check out his very quick description of the design concept behind a tree around the 11:00:00 mark.

Gotta love a tree!