tree – TRAVEL WORDS

Nature Photo Challenge: tree bark

This week’s challenge from Denzil is interesting, visit his site for lots of information about tree bark that you probably never knew. I have always been fascinated by bark, mainly for the colours and textures so here’s a few from my archives.

The amazing texture of Xanthorrhoea glauca, the Australian grass tree.

Prunus serrula. A magnificent small garden tree for year round interest its most prominent feature is its tactile, silky, polished bark. The smooth, mahogany bark peels in translucent cinnamon and honey coloured sheets to reveal a fresh new hue of bronze-red gloss beneath. Caught in autumn sunlight this tree almost glows.

Prunus serrula, called birch bark cherry, birchbark cherry, paperbark cherry, or Tibetan cherry, is a species of cherry native to China

This multi-stemmed one is a highly prized specimen.

Chinese Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) has the advantage of being attractive all year round: in spring, when the leaves appear, in autumn when its wonderful, rich leaf colour shines, and throughout the dormant season because of its remarkable bark. When the brilliant deep crimson and scarlet leaves have fallen in late November, the full majesty of the rusty-brown bark, which peels in loose tatters, is revealed. Catching it with the sunlight behind creates this gorgeous orange-cinnamon peel.

Australian Eucalyptus / Gum trees often have interesting coloured bark.

Sydney Blue Gum

Sydney Red Gum

Scribbly gums are a type of eucalyptus or gum tree. There are a few species that are known as scribbly gums as they all have the ‘scribbles’ across their bark.

Scribbly gum is a name given to a variety of different Australian Eucalyptus trees which play host to the larvae of scribbly gum moths which leave distinctive scribbly burrowing patterns on the bark.

And I’ll leave you with this. Along the road to Potato Point (NSW, Australia) you will come across the most magical tree. An enchanting gum tree decorated with toadstools, butterflies, dragonflies and flowers amongst the discarded eucalyptus leaves. Want to know more? Click here.

Denzil’s Nature Photo Challenge #22 | Bark

October Squares

The October theme offers something for absolutely everybody – a chance to share past posts, past squares and glimpses of the past. I’m going to mix it up a bit, with photos that have appeared in previous Square challenges, some that didn’t make the final and some new photos that would have done. Day Two

Trees – July 2021

If you want to join in either daily, weekly or just on the odd occasion then please visit Becky, the only rule is that the photo MUST be a square – that is four equal sides! You have been warned 😉

Winter sunlight

The new January Squares challenge, hosted as ever by Becky, the Queen of Squares, is all about ____light. That’s words ending in light. In this often dull month light of any kind is what we all need to lift our spirits as we wait impatiently for spring to begin. Click on the link to find out more.

winter sunlight

Winter is all about light and contrast. Winter sunlight is always changing, being weak in November but stronger by February. The sun tends to be lower throughout the day providing good light. Dusk and Dawn can be longer too. In photography look for strong contrasts between subjects and colours. Backlit leaves and flowers, coloured stems of shrubs, warm winter skies and snow. Long shadows. Sunlight sparkling on snow or frost…

sunlight (noun) = light from the sun.

January Squares | Day Twenty

Time x Square

Your last chance to join in with December’s Squares hosted by the lovely Becky. The photos don’t necessarily have to be of a timepiece, but are open to interpretation to reflect time in some way, or sayings such as ‘the passing of time’, ‘a stitch in time’, or time running away from you.

Day 31: Arborglyph

“An arborglyph is tree writing — words or pictures carved into the bark of a tree. Smooth-barked tree species, such as beeches, birches, and aspens, are most frequently carved. Some of the carvings are historically or culturally significant”

Carving a heart and name or initials of a loved one into the bark of a tree can allow your feelings to live on for many years as trees can live for hundreds of years if not thousands.

Although carving a heart into a tree won’t hurt it, it may encourage others to do the same causing disfigurement. And unless the tree belongs to you, it is also considered vandalism. So, better to respect the tree and if you really want to show your feelings consider a tattoo on your own body. Or better still engraved on a silver locket…

Thanks once again to Becky for another delightful and fascinating Square challenge. She is definitely the Queen of Squares and a wonderful hostess.

December Squares | Day Thirty-one

Oh what a tangle

The Moreton Bay fig tree with its powerful buttresses and long dangling, intertwisted aerial roots creates a sense of awe and wonder. The characteristic “melting” appearance is due to its habit of dropping aerial roots from its branches, which upon reaching the ground, thicken into supplementary trunks which help to support the weight of its crown.