I have this thing for wood and I especially like looking at interesting trees.

This tree caught my eye awhile back and I had to remember to go back and take a picture of it.

Look how it was bent completely back towards the ground and then curved back to grow upright again. Here is a closer shot.

And look at it from another angle.

I don’t know how the tree managed to grow back and keep growing despite being twisted so badly.

Last month I was again out hiking and I saw another tree that I really liked. I didn’t have my camera and it was a few weeks before I could get back to that area.

I went out looking for the tree that I knew I had seen. I had it narrowed down to about a 10 acre area.

So I am walking the woods in a grid like pattern, back and forth, back and forth. After while even Goldie, the dog was wondering what I was doing.

I could just see somebody stopping me and asking what I was doing, “well I am looking for a tree”, I would reply.
You are looking for a tree in the woods????

But then I found it. And just as crazy as looking for a tree in the woods is, taking 20 pictures of said tree from every angle is sure to nominate me as a looney.

Here she is.

The light was not the best, but take a closer look. She is really bent.

Another angle. Kind of freaky isn’t it. Like a big anaconda.

I wanted to give you a perspective of the size of this thing but I was the only one there taking the pictures.
I volunteered Goldie to pose under the tree.
(I think she looks uncomfortable like she might have a pine cone under her rear)

I don’t know why these trees inspire me.

Maybe because it has been a rough couple of months. There is a lot of insecurity in the air.
Job losses. Fear. Rumors. Illness.

Maybe because I am having a pity party day. You know the one; nobody likes me, everybody hates me, I think I’ll eat worms.
One of “those” days.

Then I look at these trees.

Man, they really got bent out of shape.
Pushed down but not defeated.
Pushed back but not destroyed.

They kept going and growing. I think maybe I will too.