P52 | Serene

P52 | Serene

This weeks p52 is a little emotional for me.  We had eight Sweet Gum trees and one Pin Oak tree in our back yard until this week.  We are renters, and my landlord decided they had gotten too tall and was afraid they might break in severe weather (which we get lots of here in the South), and even after asking him on several occasions to reconsider, or just to just "top them off", he still saw fit to have them removed.

Well, if you know me, you know how I feel about trees.  Trees and/or the moon were always an integral part of my drawing, painting and photography, from childhood to present, and these trees, my "grove", were no exception.  I only recently realized how many times I have photographed them in the year we have lived here. My children had a swing hanging from one of them. It is gone.  And of the magical, miniature forest with the clover carpet and canopy of leaves, where my children played, and I watched with my camera, drew inspiration and had my favorite view of the stars, all that remains are 9 stumps and a baron, empty corner of a yard that used to feel like my haven.

So today, my p52 share will be several images of my trees.  That place that was so serene and will be remembered not only in pictures, but in all the memories made under them in the last year of my family's lives.

This image was taken a week before they were cut. See why I am so heartbroken about my trees?

An image I made for some personal stationary (folded 4x5 cards for all occasions)

 lily taking a break from swinging to love on Bokeh. Lily is my youngest and home with me while the others are at school. She spent a lot of time in our "little grove"

Lily on the tree swing that is now gone. 

Storm clouds from last winter.

Those storm clouds are real.  I did enhance the color and contrast, but I took this image because the clouds were so ominous that day.

My most favorite image of all.  Taken last winter, a 30 second exposure. The trees were being lit by neighboring street lights.  It was about 30 degrees (Fahrenheit) that night, and I was holding pizza boxes around the camera to shield the lens from light.

And lastly, an image inspired from the weeks event. It's very different from my usual work, and sort of a creative therapy, if you will.  I call it "Morning Grove".

Now, head on over to Erin Norman | Columbus, MS and check out her work.  Be sire to follow the links for more p52 goodness.