Honoring the Trees

We all have a special tree story, don't we? There were two trees that were special to me when I was growing up, and there are a few that we live with on our property here in upstate New York that are also very special to me. But there was one tree from my childhood that I will always remember. 

When I started at a new school in fifth grade, I only knew one person, and she wasn't in any of my classes. So it was pretty lonely. We didn't really have a playground at this school, just a giant asphalt parking lot where the kids would play kickball or jump rope or just stand around and talk. But down at the bottom of the hill at the very edge of this parking lot was a huge old white pine tree, one of the biggest I've ever seen. And thankfully, whoever designed that parking lot decided to leave that tree right where it was, and even put a little border of bricks around the expansive roots that were above ground. 

In those days, I would smuggle my Sony Walkman to school in my great big oversized denim purse (I was in middle school, and it was the 80s, folks), and after lunch, I would walk all the way down the hill to that giant white pine tree, and I would nestle down in the roots with the trunk up against my back and I would put my headphones on and listen to music for a few precious minutes before heading back into the school building. No one could see me - the tree was so enormous that it completely hid me from everyone, unless they walked down the parking lot and walked around the corner to find me. So I spent many many lunch periods there, listening to music and letting that beautiful tree support me and taking refuge in her roots. 

This tree is just one of the many special trees that I want to honor through my 13 Trees Collection of handmade wire wrapped gemstone tree pendants. 

Making these intricate wire wrapped trees has truly been a joy for me, as I explored new techniques in wire wrapping and found inspiration in my huge stash of gemstone cabochons and components. 

I'll be writing more about trees and some simple shamanic practices to connect with and honor the trees in the coming week to celebrate the completion of my first 13 Trees Collection! I'll be doing these trees in small batches throughout the year, each using a unique gemstone component. You can find out more about each piece in the collection by reading the description. Meanwhile, I'd love to hear more about your favorite special trees that you've encountered!

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