Saturday, November 8, 2014

The Murray Tree




The wind and rain have taken many leaves and some trees are looking quite bare. Others have held tight, refused to give up anything yet to winter. The nights are cold making mornings outside too chilly until the sun wipes his eyes and comes fully awake near noon.

I have spent two days and one more to go of merely boxing up tea pots and cups preparing for  coming wall and ceiling work. I have taken pictures down, folded tablecloths, but have top of kitchen cabinets left to do. Mind you, this is not furniture moving yet, only small pieces of “stuff. It is amazing what I have accumulated. I feel strange taking down my own things, wrapping in tissue, and boxing like I am ending something. I wonder if I need these beloved things at all…would life be easier with cleared table tops?

Yesterday as I ran to town for more tissue paper, I noted the change in trees but kept moving on myself thinking that is what we all do…keep going, keep changing. I was coming down the street when I saw the Murray Tree and had to pull the car over to exalt its loveliness. Every year we watch for this tree to change as it is a beauty. This year while other trees were at their peak, this one had not even begun to change! We figured it would be a year it just did not perform. The Murrays have been dead for years and the house falls into ruin while descendants refuse to settle the estate. Yet every year, this tree flames full of color, full of a last burst of life at the end of summer. So this year was to be no different, just late.

The beauty of the Murray Tree made me think of my writing. Would it be slow and late too? Would it burst forth in the middle of a winter snow storm and astound me (and editors too!) with powerhouse words I stacked together? I can only hope this is true. No lines will be written in the next few weeks of sheetrock dust and plaster! But I can hope that like the Murray Tree I will eventually show marvelous creations even if late in the season!


6 comments:

Donna Volkenannt said...

Hi Claudia,

Lovely photos and sentiments. I imagine you will find inspiration even if you're not writing during your remodeling. Good luck with your home improvement project.

pat couch laster said...

Having gone thru' the massive moving of stuff during my floor re-dos, I imagine each night, you'll find time to sketch your day's work. With time, and patience, it will work into a blog and/or a poem. Perhaps an essay or a short story. Looking forward to seeing pictures as the project progresses.

Susan said...

Oh Claudia. The Murray tree is most spectacular. Maybe her former owners will look down on the dear family and help them get things all settled.

Well, bless you for having all those cherished "things." This might be the time to let some of them go or not! Good luck. Sounds like such a daunting task.

Hope your weekend is going well. No snow here in western Massachusetts just yet but it's still really chilly. Hugs to you. Susan

Sioux Roslawski said...

Claudia--Good luck with your remodeling. (And that tree IS gorgeous!)

Linda O'Connell said...

Loved hearing about the Murray tree, not so much the remodel job, as it reminds me of the time I had my kitchen remodeled many years ago during the holidays. My home was a wreck for six weeks as the guys worked at their leisure after work. Never again. you will be pleased though when finished.

Rebecca said...

Even Murray trees have their seasons :)

Can't wait to see how you emerge from THIS one!