I seem to have dropped off the face of the blogosphere of late and I can only amount this to being well and truly settled into Bangkok life. On arrival every sight, scent and sound aroused the desire to record and report each detail, to be read by those at home or revisited at a later date. By now, I am accustomed to the amusing daily occurrences and delights that go on and thus no longer have this urge. This led me onto deliberating what kinds of things that I still treasure enough to deem worthy of a place on my small space in the cyber world. Unsurprisingly this brought me back to my biophiliac adoration of all things natural. On reflection this blog has been highly anthropocentic, focusing more on man, man-made materials and the manifold of person-centred goings on in Bangkok and I really need to pay some time and effort to the more beautiful side of the coin.
I have always harboured a profound admiration for all the gifts that nature provides us with and living in Thailand has provided me with the opportunity to expose myself to visual treats far exceeding anything that has danced across my corneas in the Western world so surely these must fit the bill in terms of deserving some time and analytic engagement.
So, if one was to compose a three point list of my most satisfying visual experiences it would go something along the lines of: Trees; Islands; Skies. And now I will provide words and images which I hope support and substantiate this view.
Put simply, I just love trees. However i am aware that such a claim requires a supporting argument so here goes. I feel that out of all the perrenials this woody variety steals the crown. They are what the lion is to the Animal Kingdom, the rulers of the forest. Not only do they provide the support and shelter to all the lower tiers of flora and foliage that subsist below they are just so bloody powerful. A tree's roots will creep and extend to inhabit just about any space they can. And with plenty space an amazing root system can result which I find very aesthetically pleasing.
Argument 1: Premise one - Trees can have incredible root systems which are very pleasing to the eye. Premise two - Things that are pleasing to the eye give me some form of satisfaction. Conclusion: Trees are pleasing to the eye, therefore trees bring me satisfaction. Not the strongest argument but valid all the same.
And check out these bad boy root systems....
Returning to my point concerning the power and strength of trees I can refer to my favourite tree which I have photographed to date. The one above is a new one on the fave list for its sheer beauty and magnificence but the photo I now refer to embodies the quality I admire most in all my woody objects of worship. The tree I refer to is situated in Avenham Park in Preston and from what I imagine, when this tree was just a wee nipper the landscapers of said park fitted small iron fences around each tree - similar to what you would see on a rural avenue somewhere in surburbia. Clearly the landscapers unestimated the power that a tree can behold for I am sure they did not account for how the tree would overrule this measily iron prison cell.
For me this awesome image encapsulates the amalgamation of nature and industry, a wooded character restrained by the iron wrath of the urban world. Yet nature, all powerful, reins victorious, busting through the iron shackles, not just breaking free but consuming that which attempted to constrain or limit one's growth. Taking the iron and making it part of itself. Owning the iron. Taking possession, both over the iron, and over its own freedom. If you don't share my true amazement with nature you may interpret this as cretinous drivel, but if you do share my perspective, like me, you will read this as poetry! This picture silently relays to me a thousand words.
Argument Two: P1: Something natural, yet so powerful and resilient has got to be worth at least some awe and respect. P2: Trees do fulfil this description. Conclusion: Trees therefore deserve some awe and respect. Word.
Another very concise and succinct argument. I just love trees as they are so bloody big. From a tiny seed such a great, gargantous being can grow. Who knew such a beast could develop from virtually nothing. One of Nature's great surprises. Some trees are just incredibly, incredibly FAT....
And some are just incredibly, incredibly STRAIGHT. Perfect you might say. In optimum conditions an optimum being will emerge.....
And for every uniform specimen, there are other equally impressive yet, strange breeds...such as this which I take to be a Palm tree sporting many different textures.....
And some trees are simply just lovely to look at, for example this one found on the beach, which with the help of a little tweeking and experimenting with the exposure and the contrast has an eerie, somewhat skeletal quality.
Here is a brilliant lost limb of no doubt some enormous structure which I cam across on the beach in St. Annes one day. It reminds me of a giant claw of some now extinct beast and I love the beauty of the lines, curves and tones it exhibits. I enjoy looking at this photo which is surely a credit to the subject caught on camera. A tree no longer living, yet continuing to emminate a natural beauty.
And lastly, a grand vision once witnessed in joyous Preston, a pure pink paradise, juxtaposed by the perimeter of Preston Prison. A poetic and meaningful contrast. These cherry blossoms had shed their bloom and turned the entire area into a cotton candy coloured scene of intense charm and elegance. A superb setting for the sinister structure sitting behind.
Later. xxx
I have always harboured a profound admiration for all the gifts that nature provides us with and living in Thailand has provided me with the opportunity to expose myself to visual treats far exceeding anything that has danced across my corneas in the Western world so surely these must fit the bill in terms of deserving some time and analytic engagement.
So, if one was to compose a three point list of my most satisfying visual experiences it would go something along the lines of: Trees; Islands; Skies. And now I will provide words and images which I hope support and substantiate this view.
Put simply, I just love trees. However i am aware that such a claim requires a supporting argument so here goes. I feel that out of all the perrenials this woody variety steals the crown. They are what the lion is to the Animal Kingdom, the rulers of the forest. Not only do they provide the support and shelter to all the lower tiers of flora and foliage that subsist below they are just so bloody powerful. A tree's roots will creep and extend to inhabit just about any space they can. And with plenty space an amazing root system can result which I find very aesthetically pleasing.
Argument 1: Premise one - Trees can have incredible root systems which are very pleasing to the eye. Premise two - Things that are pleasing to the eye give me some form of satisfaction. Conclusion: Trees are pleasing to the eye, therefore trees bring me satisfaction. Not the strongest argument but valid all the same.
And check out these bad boy root systems....
 |
| Located in Chinatown, Bangkok. |
 |
| An absolute beauty, taken on the beach on Koh Tao |
Returning to my point concerning the power and strength of trees I can refer to my favourite tree which I have photographed to date. The one above is a new one on the fave list for its sheer beauty and magnificence but the photo I now refer to embodies the quality I admire most in all my woody objects of worship. The tree I refer to is situated in Avenham Park in Preston and from what I imagine, when this tree was just a wee nipper the landscapers of said park fitted small iron fences around each tree - similar to what you would see on a rural avenue somewhere in surburbia. Clearly the landscapers unestimated the power that a tree can behold for I am sure they did not account for how the tree would overrule this measily iron prison cell.
For me this awesome image encapsulates the amalgamation of nature and industry, a wooded character restrained by the iron wrath of the urban world. Yet nature, all powerful, reins victorious, busting through the iron shackles, not just breaking free but consuming that which attempted to constrain or limit one's growth. Taking the iron and making it part of itself. Owning the iron. Taking possession, both over the iron, and over its own freedom. If you don't share my true amazement with nature you may interpret this as cretinous drivel, but if you do share my perspective, like me, you will read this as poetry! This picture silently relays to me a thousand words.
Argument Two: P1: Something natural, yet so powerful and resilient has got to be worth at least some awe and respect. P2: Trees do fulfil this description. Conclusion: Trees therefore deserve some awe and respect. Word.
Another very concise and succinct argument. I just love trees as they are so bloody big. From a tiny seed such a great, gargantous being can grow. Who knew such a beast could develop from virtually nothing. One of Nature's great surprises. Some trees are just incredibly, incredibly FAT....
 |
| A very fat, presumably very, very old, tree photographed at Dusit Zoo, Bangkok. |
And some are just incredibly, incredibly STRAIGHT. Perfect you might say. In optimum conditions an optimum being will emerge.....
 |
| Benjasiri Park, Bangkok |
 |
| A forest family. |
And for every uniform specimen, there are other equally impressive yet, strange breeds...such as this which I take to be a Palm tree sporting many different textures.....
Here is a brilliant lost limb of no doubt some enormous structure which I cam across on the beach in St. Annes one day. It reminds me of a giant claw of some now extinct beast and I love the beauty of the lines, curves and tones it exhibits. I enjoy looking at this photo which is surely a credit to the subject caught on camera. A tree no longer living, yet continuing to emminate a natural beauty.
And lastly, a grand vision once witnessed in joyous Preston, a pure pink paradise, juxtaposed by the perimeter of Preston Prison. A poetic and meaningful contrast. These cherry blossoms had shed their bloom and turned the entire area into a cotton candy coloured scene of intense charm and elegance. A superb setting for the sinister structure sitting behind.
So there you have it, a comprehensive account of why I get such satisfaction from oogleing trees. They say the best things in life are free and if so this is certainly one of them.
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| Peace out 'til next time.... |
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| From a tree hugger : ) |
Later. xxx
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