Remains

3/4/15 Various inks, Caran d'Ache Museum water-soluble
colored pencils, Canson XL 140 lb. paper

When I stopped to look at the remains of this tree at Green Lake this morning, a woman was walking slowly around it, gently touching its trunk. “This was the first tree I ever climbed – back in 1955,” she told me. I could see from her expression that she was flooded with fond childhood memories.

We speculated what could have prompted the old pine being cut down – perhaps disease or losing too many branches from winter windstorms. I walk around Green Lake two or three times a week, yet the sad thing is that I don’t remember what the tree looked like before it was cut down. It was just one of many trees I walk by.

I didn’t have my bag with me during my fitness walk, so I went back this afternoon to sketch it. Although I don’t recall what it looked like alive, at least I would remember what’s left of it.

Updated 3/9/15: My friend Tony had let me know that he’d seen the last of the tree remains being chainsawed down last Friday. During my walk this morning, I saw what the tree looks like now.