My vote is a mark of true love, though the carver of this may live to regret it in years to come if it isn't true love!!! This is a great shot for the theme.
Hmmm, benevolent vandalism in the name of love maybe? The person who carved slightly further right probably wasn't thinking of true love ;-) This looks very much like @hopelessromantic 's woods!
I like it when initials are carved in a heart, and I don't think there is any great risk to the tree. There is something quite fascinating about them when they have aged and the years have passed by. I think it is very romantic! I like this idea for 'Love' Bulldog, you are so much more imaginative than me! ;)
Ramble alert!
I think the term 'vandalism' implies a malicious, deliberate intent to destroy which doesn't fit with the long-standing practice of carving initials on a tree as a declaration of love.
Although trees seem to need their bark and outer wood to survive, I think you'd need to carve deeply and over a lot of the trunk to put the life of the tree in jeopardy.
As for true love, well, it probably felt like that at the time. But true love isn't romantic love, I think. True love is staying together and supporting one another through the good times and bad, and loving your partner with all their 'faults'.
Lovely shot - smashing composition and a great idea for the theme too.
I think it's sweet. Not sure the tree agrees.
I once wrote mine and BFs initials on the blackboard at school, in chalk, and got into trouble for it, so no way would I mess with a tree...!
Nice shot. Great compostition.
Infatuation maybe. The tree was not harmed. As long as there is a little bark left that will make it to the roots, the tree will be fine. You have to completely ring a tree to actually do harm to it. I have a tree that mice chewed all but an inch around. The tree healed and 20 years later is still doing great.
Could I start be saying how sorry I man that I did not join this discussion last night, unfortunately my Internet dropped, just after posing this and was then patchy all night.
@shweetheart – “Benevolent vandalism in the name of love” - ½ point each Helen? – 4.5/0.5
Interesting you should say that, I have just had a look a Peters photos and he visits Burnham Beeches, which is only about 9 miles away from this place, Common Wood, in Hazelmere, Bucks. You might know it Peter? @hopelessromantic
@caddick – Ha ha ha.. Personally, I don’t like this vandalism on trees, so it would not have been me. I like the padlocks on a fence ideas but not this (although it did make a nice shot). - ½ point each Mike? – 5/1
@dulciknit - Wow Alison, that’s told me? True love is loving your partner with all their 'faults'… Bloody hell, Mrs Bulldog must have lots of true love them! – 8/1
@mittens – Thanks Marilyn and it is about to be answered…
FINAL SCORE = 12.5 for Love and 1.5 for Vandalism. But even vandals would say that they love valdalising things so I guess the score should be “ALL 4 LOVE”
@gphelps5 No, I don't. I had friends living in Hazelmere back in the Cambrian era but I've never been back since.I'll put it on my list of places to check out. I'm told the woodland once stretched all the way to Aylesbury but don't know if it's so.
Hi Peter, I doubt if it stretches that far any more. Common wood is a small private wood just next to Penn Woods. They are both a lot smaller that Burnham beaches but they have leveled and laid loose stone paths through Common wood, so I tend to use it when is has been wet.
Thanks for the comment and follow Peter. @hopelessromantic
@gphelps5 I am also an old frequenter of Burnham Beeches as I used to live in Burnham! I live in Wiltshire now very close to some old Beech woods and the thing I've always found quite funny about carvings in Beech trees is that they grow so fast, the carving spreads wide so you can't see what it says after a couple of years....not so longer lasting love perhaps? Helen @shweetheart is one of my long standing friends (since we were about 3 I think) and Peter @hopelessromantic is another friends Dad......maybe we could arrange a 365er photo day or something in the Bucks/Berks area next year ? Just a thought ;0)
Thanks Ann (with the wine).
The Bots were not with us this time, in fact I don't think I have seen OrangeBot since that unfortunate accident that GreenBot had with the mixer?
Love the subtle fall colors and composition -- not sure about love vs vandalism. As far as I can tell, beeches continue to grow and flourish without any harm from the names carved on them but I wouldn't take a knife to a tree -- a park bench maybe.
Hmmm, i think it is probably young love, & not malicious intent. when you are young, you don't think of the potential harm it might cause. Most aren't trying to be destructive, just caught up in the moment. :o)
Now what would you say if this had been done on a Giant Sequoia tree in a national park?
For some, it may be love, but to others it's a mar on the landscape. I, for one, would not do this and would encourage others not to as well. Enjoy the forest, leave no trace, take nothing but photos.
I thought love was a hard one to do. A nice woodland scene too.
I think the term 'vandalism' implies a malicious, deliberate intent to destroy which doesn't fit with the long-standing practice of carving initials on a tree as a declaration of love.
Although trees seem to need their bark and outer wood to survive, I think you'd need to carve deeply and over a lot of the trunk to put the life of the tree in jeopardy.
As for true love, well, it probably felt like that at the time. But true love isn't romantic love, I think. True love is staying together and supporting one another through the good times and bad, and loving your partner with all their 'faults'.
Lovely shot - smashing composition and a great idea for the theme too.
I once wrote mine and BFs initials on the blackboard at school, in chalk, and got into trouble for it, so no way would I mess with a tree...!
We all have done this I suppose....and then we regret.....
Infatuation maybe. The tree was not harmed. As long as there is a little bark left that will make it to the roots, the tree will be fine. You have to completely ring a tree to actually do harm to it. I have a tree that mice chewed all but an inch around. The tree healed and 20 years later is still doing great.
@seanoneill – This is so true Sean - 1/0
@lynnb – Tree tattoo, an interesting thought Lynn – 2/0
@agentzuckerguss - I suppose the tree is not destroyed. – 3/0
@bazza – Bazza, you big softy – 4/0
@shweetheart – “Benevolent vandalism in the name of love” - ½ point each Helen? – 4.5/0.5
Interesting you should say that, I have just had a look a Peters photos and he visits Burnham Beeches, which is only about 9 miles away from this place, Common Wood, in Hazelmere, Bucks. You might know it Peter? @hopelessromantic
@caddick – Ha ha ha.. Personally, I don’t like this vandalism on trees, so it would not have been me. I like the padlocks on a fence ideas but not this (although it did make a nice shot). - ½ point each Mike? – 5/1
@salza – Thanks Sally
@rosiekind – Thanks Rosie, another vote for True love – 6/1
@tishpics – Thank you for you lovely, kind words Pat – 7/1
@quietpurplehaze – I don’t like soppy either Hazel
@dulciknit - Wow Alison, that’s told me? True love is loving your partner with all their 'faults'… Bloody hell, Mrs Bulldog must have lots of true love them! – 8/1
@mittens – Thanks Marilyn and it is about to be answered…
@deburahiru – Thanks Deb – 9/1
@lyno – And me Lyn, and me…
@maggiemae – Thanks Maggiemae, but there are a lot of things that last, without doing this?
@sarajeal – Thank you Sara, I am I bit stuck for today though…
@henrir – Thanks Henri, I appreciate your comments.
@filsie65 – Maybe you should have written it when you were a kid and not after you were married?
@lellie – I suppose it’s not destructive – 10/1
@la_photographic - Laura – I can see why people do it, but it doesn’t make it right.
@justkariherself - Your confusing me now KariLyn, how do I score that answer? - ½ point each – 10.5/1.5
@joluise - It was you wasn’t it… How do you know it didn’t last? Ha ha ha… - 11.5/1.5
@cocobella - Did you the Corinne? I suppose it is fairly harmless.
@tracywilliams – Thanks Tracy – 12.5/1.5
@kerristephens @bobbyj -Thank you Kerri & Bobby
@debrac - That’s interesting Debra, I wonder if they were clever mice for preserving it or stupid for not killing it of (if they planned to)?
@clickclick - Thanks Denise
FINAL SCORE = 12.5 for Love and 1.5 for Vandalism. But even vandals would say that they love valdalising things so I guess the score should be “ALL 4 LOVE”
@maggiemae
Thanks for the comment and follow Peter.
@hopelessromantic
@sheilacoates @dulciknit
The Bots were not with us this time, in fact I don't think I have seen OrangeBot since that unfortunate accident that GreenBot had with the mixer?
For some, it may be love, but to others it's a mar on the landscape. I, for one, would not do this and would encourage others not to as well. Enjoy the forest, leave no trace, take nothing but photos.
@catwoman2 - Thanks for the comment Mary although I wold have thought doing this to a park bench would be worse for some reason?
@stuey - Thanks Stuey
@webfoot - I agree "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints"
@cinwin
Nicely composed, sweet love shot