DAY 218
11.08.07
TREE 142
We had a late night last night. It was only slightly awkward seeing Rachel. Just at first, because there was a delayed hug… just unfamiliar territory. Then I picked up Norman and Jennifer. We didn’t get to bed until 3am Eastern time. I also decided to sleep in the second room and not in Rachel’s bed. What does this have to do with tree climbing? Nothing… I’ll get there. So we all wake up around 8am Pacific time. We got to the task of looking things over, posting more items online, and organizing stuff. We paused to take a walk in the park.
Rachel brought Abbey to throw the frisbee. I chose to climb a sycamore. But strangely it differs from the sycamores I’m used to. The bark wasn’t multi-colored and powdery, it was just grey.
The leaves were also slightly different.
They were smaller, more pointy, and more brown than yellow. The seed pods at the top also seemed more hairy than the ones out in the East. To get into the tree I grabbed an overhanging limb, lifted up my feet and hooked my heels on the branch. Then I crawled upside-down and backwards toward the trunk. I righted myself and climbed up to the top.
I had a great view of the park and surrounding neighborhood.
I tied my ribbon and took some pictures.
As Rachel and Abbey played below I tried to shake some of the few remaining seed pods down. It was pretty tough but I got one to fall. As I started to climb down Norman and Jennifer showed up at the park. As I crawled upside-down and backwards back out the low limb Jennifer asked why I didn’t hang my legs. I said it’s easier to hold my weight that way. She then asked if I was concerned about the limb breaking and me falling on my head. I told her I know that limb and I know it wouldn’t break. I trusted it. I think thats a developed sense that I don’t think about anymore. I often wonder what I am gaining from these daily climbs. Sometimes I think I am just getting better at climbing. While other times I wonder if I’m learning something about myself or life in these trees. I guess it’s something only time will tell.
11-9-08: If you wanted some personal shit, there you go. This is starting to make me nervous about what’s to come. Those this was a particularly difficult trip. And I’d say that Rachel and I have gotten over any strangeness and are good friends.
I also miss Abbey. I’m not big on animals and pets, but I do love that dog. It was nice to see her on that trip last year. Apparently she’s starting to get grey hairs around the face.
Anyway… Friday night some friends and I went to the opening of the Amazing Green Planet store. My high school friend, Dustin Baron, and his parents run and own it. They sell all green products, free trade, organic, etc. It was like a small high school reunion. Then I drove with NJ downtown to the gallery hop. We just missed it and everything was closing up. Before we headed to MaryLiz’s to hang out, NJ and I walked to the corner of Preston and Jefferson where I climbed a tree. It was small and full of branches. It snaked my way through the tightly intermingling limbs to a high point.
I was just above the highway and could see the downtown skyline.
But it was so damn hard to stay still on the bendy branches. Plus there were just so many branches and leaves I couldn’t see much anyway. NJ patiently waited for me on the ground while I finished shooting pictures and climbed back down. It wasn’t much of a climb and I didn’t get too many good shots. But I climbed. And some days, that’s all I want.
Later that evening we watched Eagle vs. Shark. It’s a funny movie kinda like Napolean Dynamite but based in New Zealand and starring Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords. I recommend it.
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