I'm not overwhelmed that people feel the need to leave their mark on a tree, but I'm oddly fascinated as to their stories...
(*Earth Day*...some poor timing for this choice, Louise...this said 8 hours after I posted it last night!)
**Happy Earth Day** to my daughters Heather & Tina who own the eco-friendly children's store, Green Genes, in Andersonville, a north-Chicago suburb. I should have been more aware!
I get the hesitation Louise. I cringe and have to curb my anger whenever I see this kind of stuff. I keep wanting to bump into these culprits when I'm in Yosemite or the like. Oh well, I'll get a good chuckle the next time I see this symbolic lack of ethical environmental stewardship and picture squirrels toting knives :).
I wonder if the relationships lasted as long as the tree!!
Thanks for your comments Louise, no sign of our chicks yet. Mr Worm better watch out!! Thanks also for your personal family name information. I think understanding our past helps us in the present which will be our children's past...hmmm, maybe a bit too deep!! :-)
Nancy y .... Ale. They were the most persistent. I not too thrilled about defacing perfectly good tree either but if it must be done carving is better than paint? I don't know... but I do know I like this shot very much.
Like the picture but hate the graffiti.
Fascinated by the whisper of history but loathe the permanence of the destruction.
Amused by the thought of squirrels scratching their eternal love in the woods but wish humans could find a less public and permanent forum for their sentiments.
if only they could feel their pain. poor trees , so helpless. see if they like it if someone would do it the them.
Louise in my thoughts i'm walking with you through your lovely park and especially enjoy the squirrels. you have outdone youself with your last squirrle entry.and hae brought us so much happiness with all your lovely comments and we surely will miss the squirrles for a while. you feed the squirrels like we do the chipmonks never thought that squirrles could become so tame. but when you think of all the animals being trained and rewarded with their favorite foods for a job well done why not squirrels.
I wonder what each of their stories are - when they carved their names, and if they're still together, married, broken up......
Ian and I marked our names on the Eiffel Tower in 2007. I'm sure its painted over by now.
A great picture ... I don't like trees being carved into generally but it does make me stop and look and wonder what the stories are so there is something about it that I like too.
Great shot, Louise and I'm like the rest...luckily trees like this seem to survive and hold onto the memories...sometimes longer than the people who left them.
I admit the stories are interesting...but we criminalize people who use spray paint to grafitti up walls and buildings but turn our heads when people use knives to carve up living trees...
Interesting choice for your Earth Day posting, Louise. Graffiti like this is so PERMANENT (and probably carved by teenagers whose relationships aren't so permanent...) I have to admit that it makes me sick to my stomach.However, like everyone else, I am amused by the vision of knife-toting, lovesick squirrels ... LOL!
when I first saw this it brought back a memory for me...not of carving on a tree (wouldnt do that) but of summer camp actually!! :) I hate the fact a tree was "hurt" but seeing this reminds me of love :)...im a romantic!! :) happy earth day!! :)
Beautiful shot, Louise!!! Luckily, trees forgive us cruel acts like thit and happily serve as our message boards! I agree it's not the best place to leave your mark, but it definitely tells a story...
Thank you...Eliot was in a great mood today and happily sat gazing around while I lay full length on the grass and heard the odd comment from passers by! To be fair, most of the comments were about the dog!
"knife-toting, lovesick squirrels" OMG!!! I am laughing so hard!!! My mental images are all too vivid for my own good some days!
@Brad - I agree but at least Ken + Louise deserves to be permanent. I agree with Denise, it makes me ill when I see things like this. There was a giant oak tree that grew near my home that I loved so much but it finally had to be cut down because it had become diseased (most likely from the same kinds of carvings). I was broken hearted to see it go and there is a giant blank spot on the lot where it was cut. So sad.
Well, this certainly got everyone talking about Earth Day, so I guess you “done good”, Louise, by featuring this poor, little tree. It is interesting, too, to note that the featured “lovers” appeared to have hit a bump in the road, since the second party appears to have returned and scratched his/her name out. Love is fleeting, eh, but vandalism can make a long-lasting impression.
BTW - I read the Time Out article about Heather and Tina’s store. Very cool! Imagine they’re celebrating Earth Day in a big way today. :-)
thank Louise for your kind words yes the red maple is a beauty it is just budding now always look forward to the leaves. were you Candian at one time??
im still laughing at the image i have in my head of the squirrels carving their names on this tree...that was seriously funny, craigy.
anyways, ms. louise, as always, your photos have a way of bringing people together. i don't feel that strongly about this type of vandalism, because there's some sweetness attached to it but i do agree with what the others say about "hurting" the tree.
Is it weird that I looked everywhere for a "Charlie Charlene" scratched onto that tree? ;)
Very appropriate subject for Earth Day - great shot, Louise!
PS Thanks for your sweet words on today's pic. It was my first voiceover job ever, so I can't call it a "vocation" yet. I do amateur theatre and write novels, plays & poetry in my spare time, but I work as a business writer and translator. Trust me - it's not very glamorous. ;)
LOUISE! Just read your comment on my "bird" pic, and I ... can't.... stop.... giggling! LOVE the idea of setting up an Anti-E-Harmony site, with that pic as the logo!
hi louise, thanks for the kind comments...i must have offended some of the 365ers here about my comments on how i like looking at tree-markings, which in reality is true, but i do feel for this trees too. deleted my earlier comments for some reasons. hope you don't mind!
I see your photos all the time and totally thought I was following you. Come to find out, I'm not. I love your photos! And about 2 seconds after I hit ENTER, I will be following you!
Some folks have to make their mark somewhere in the world! Thank you Louise for your kind and caring comments. Your words mean a lot. Prior to starting here I hadn't picked up a camera since 1996. It is good to get back into photography.
All day I've been plagued by the thought that this wasn't such a great Earth Day choice (but it was up awhile before I realized what was taking place...)
i love trees like this! by the way, thanks for sharing your blog, i can't wait to look through it, i will totally enjoy it. i haven't had much time lately to be at my computer... booo! but when i do i will be looking at all your stuff. i don't have a blog - well i do but nothing has happened on it for, oh, i don't know, 3 years. oops! maybe you will inspire me to get moving on that. :) oh and also, another by the way, i think this is a pretty good classroom. who needs classes when you have a daily photo and friends to help you out.
Thanks for your comments Louise, no sign of our chicks yet. Mr Worm better watch out!! Thanks also for your personal family name information. I think understanding our past helps us in the present which will be our children's past...hmmm, maybe a bit too deep!! :-)
Took a peak at Prairie Smoke's newest addition to the squirrel club thanks for pointing it out to me.
Fascinated by the whisper of history but loathe the permanence of the destruction.
Amused by the thought of squirrels scratching their eternal love in the woods but wish humans could find a less public and permanent forum for their sentiments.
Louise in my thoughts i'm walking with you through your lovely park and especially enjoy the squirrels. you have outdone youself with your last squirrle entry.and hae brought us so much happiness with all your lovely comments and we surely will miss the squirrles for a while. you feed the squirrels like we do the chipmonks never thought that squirrles could become so tame. but when you think of all the animals being trained and rewarded with their favorite foods for a job well done why not squirrels.
Ian and I marked our names on the Eiffel Tower in 2007. I'm sure its painted over by now.
@Brad - I agree but at least Ken + Louise deserves to be permanent. I agree with Denise, it makes me ill when I see things like this. There was a giant oak tree that grew near my home that I loved so much but it finally had to be cut down because it had become diseased (most likely from the same kinds of carvings). I was broken hearted to see it go and there is a giant blank spot on the lot where it was cut. So sad.
BTW - I read the Time Out article about Heather and Tina’s store. Very cool! Imagine they’re celebrating Earth Day in a big way today. :-)
PS - my own worst critic - TOTALLY...hehe
anyways, ms. louise, as always, your photos have a way of bringing people together. i don't feel that strongly about this type of vandalism, because there's some sweetness attached to it but i do agree with what the others say about "hurting" the tree.
Great photo nonetheless.
Very appropriate subject for Earth Day - great shot, Louise!
PS Thanks for your sweet words on today's pic. It was my first voiceover job ever, so I can't call it a "vocation" yet. I do amateur theatre and write novels, plays & poetry in my spare time, but I work as a business writer and translator. Trust me - it's not very glamorous. ;)
You are the best, my friend. *e-hugs galore*
All day I've been plagued by the thought that this wasn't such a great Earth Day choice (but it was up awhile before I realized what was taking place...)