Stumps

Today I got home from my short trip to Florida and had time to walk around the garden for the first time in a long while.   I'm seeing the effects of our major snowstorm last October, where we lost so many trees.  We must have cut down 50 trees - maybe more, including major branches on enormous pines.

 

 There is so much beauty in these left over stumps - different crosscuts, different shapes.

 You can see times where the growth was fast and the growing season must have been wet and warm.

 You can see dry times, and places where the tree grew towards the light, or perhaps had an injury it was trying to protect.

 Some of them look like they were cut yesterday - they look so fresh.

 Some are grey with age, and look like they've been cut for years.

 I love the dark rims and curvy edges.

 This one looks like South America or Africa maybe.

 This one reminds me of an amoeba, with something organic happening in the center

 This one reminds me of an arrowhead, or maybe it's Africa or South America turned upside down.

 This is a cut branch on a big pine - and I like the pale, dark, pale, dark pattern.

 This one has a lovely purpley edge and lots of crumbly bits.

 This one is smooth and serene in my eyes.

And finally, with all those trees gone, my garden is getting more light...this forsythia usually blooms much later, but is a cheery yellow - delightfully smiley.