Tree Calendar: Salal
O Salal of the autumn Teach me to face the darkness I have always loved darkness. My very favorite time of the day is that moment when I turn off the light and lie in the dark for a little…
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Tree Calendar
Tree Calendar: Rowan
Autumn is a good time to cultivate imaginal capabilities. The earth is turning inward, the extroverted character of the summer is fading away, and what felt in September like a loss of vitality is becoming a reminder of how delicious it is to…
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Tree Calendar: Maple
I wrote a couple of weeks ago that the late summer is my favorite time of year. And so it is, in many ways. And yet the onset of autumn does have its poignancy as well: the fading of the…
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Tree Calendar: Apple
One of the joys of the Orchard Oculus display I did at Piper Orchard last month was the opportunity to spend an entire day, sunrise to sunset, in the orchard. It was gratifying, fun, and satisfying to be surrounded by…
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Tree Calendar: Vine
In my personal tree calendar, the first half of summer, from the solstice until August 1, is the season of Vine. In my world there are two vines with a big presence: the sprawling grapevine that grows in our backyard,…
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Tree Calendar: Douglas Fir
Tree Calendar: Alder
Down at the foot of the sloping neighborhood where I live, in Carkeek Park, alders gather in abundance alongside the creeks, lifting their leafy branches in great arches above me. Alder, that ubiquitous water-loving magnificent teacher and healer, is the special focus…
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Tree Calendar: Rhododendron
In my personal tree calendar the tree for the season between the Spring Equinox and May Day is the rhododendron. My chant to the rhododendron is “teach me to walk in beauty.” We have several rhododendron plants in front of…
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Tree Calendar: Serviceberry
The serviceberry tree is the Spring Equinox tree in my personal tree calendar. We have a fine specimen in our front yard; it always blooms right around the equinox, though its flowers only remain for a few days. My chant…
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Tree Calendar: Cedar Season
I maintain a personal tree calendar (you can find out more about this wonderful practice in the excellent book Whispers in the Woods). I have chosen twelve trees and plants with personal meaning and arranged them around the seasonal calendar (four…
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