Month: June 2008

DAY 60
06.03.07
TREE 66

Feeling the time pressure of the coming week I chose a tree of convenience. It was actually one I was eyeing to use for one of my bodies. It is directly behind the post office at the Mount. It’s not too large for being in a field but has a wide trunk and some dying branches. There is also a lot of branch and vine growth in the spaces between branches. That made the climb somewhat annoying and difficult. It was not difficult getting into the tree since the trunk splits low, but as I climbed holds were difficult and questionable on some small and dying limbs. It was quite a slow and mentally challenging puzzle for some progressions up the tree. I wanted to continue higher but thought better of it and I’m happy with that decision. I tied my mark and began the climb down a little apprehensive about some sections. But as I’ve been finding, the climb down has become easy, comfortable, familiar, and it helps that I am getting closer and closer to the ground. If I got up, I can definitely get down.

6-3-08:  Last year at this time I was working hard to prepare for Magic at the Mount.  It is the yearly art event at Mount St. Francis given by the Mary Anderson Center for the Arts.  Not only was I getting the house ready for a bunch of residents, and cleaning, and shopping, etc. I was also getting my bodies and two-way mirror installation ready.  I had a radio interview on WUOL 90.5 FM about my work.  I’ll see if I can get that audio on this blog here this week. 

I worked for Norm laying flooring and sanding it yesterday.  We had quite the frustrating day with malfunctioning tools.  I took some pictures of the floor before the polyurethane:

Then after work I drove to Seneca Park.  I walked the loop looking for a good tree.  I found a large hackberry with a smaller one growing next to it.  I got up in the little and transferred to the big one.  I am glad I had pants one because I have some itching red bumps on my legs.  You may be thinking it’s the poison ivy, but I didn’t get the bumps anywhere but my legs, and mostly high up on my leg on the inside where I squeeze the trunk when I shimmy.  The ivy touched me all over my face, arms, and legs, so this may be some growth on the bark of a recent tree.  They itch though.  Anyway, the climb was good, I got up really high and all the people below had no idea I was up there.  I love that.  Some pictures and video… of course:

 

 

Also, I really want to share some of the video and pictures I’ve been collecting of the recent 17-year cicadas that are out around my parents’ neighborhood: