Here is the gathering of trees that we happened upon close to our campsite in Valrico, FL. The photos just don't come close to portraying the ethereal quality of the grouping. We climbed these small rocky hills enveloped by large oak trees draped in spanish moss with their roots creeping out like octopus legs. Some of these legs are heavy and rooted while others appear to be freely dancing. It's like the old trees got together and decided to create a space for children to run and jump and play underneath a canopy of gray and green, with bright fern leaves popping up all around. I couldn't help but imagine Frodo and Sam sinking in between the roots of these trees in some sort of sleepy trance. It seemed like Tom Bombadil would come bounding in at any moment singing his merry song. I love Tolkien's trees and Tom Bombadil. Maybe it's best that he was left out of the movie so that my image of him is still from the first time we met. Anyway, it's fitting that this post is on April 30th, National Arbor Day. We planted a crepe myrtle in our back yard not long ago, and hopefully this fall we can add some fruit trees to celebrate again! We don't have the climate for spanish moss, but that makes it all the more beautiful when we get to head south to visit these places!
"The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more." Ralph Waldo Emerson
