Meeting Pamela

· by · in Cincinnati, Parks, Tree Art. ·

Todd and I met a tree named Pamela.  She lives in California Woods, a park on the outskirts of Cincinnati.  She looked like a backwards four.  Some might say she looked like an arm getting ready to flex.  Despite her odd appearance, she was quite friendly. Without her leaves, she had grown lonely.  The trees around her were snobby and rude she said.  In fact, she hadn’t talked to them in years.  She was happy to see us and asked us to sit and stay awhile.  She had many stories to tell.  She told of visits from birds, deer, foxes and even the occasional human.  Most of these visits consisted of her listening to their troubles.  She was in a good spot for telling troubles.  Todd and I sat quietly and listened to her tales.  After a few hours, when the sun started to creep down, she advised us it was time to go.  “There are monsters in this forest.  They show up at night looking for the human who has lost his way.”  On her advice, off we went, back to civilization.  As we left, we herd her sigh.  Looking back, we saw that loneliness had once again encapsulated her.

Visit my store.

Pamela up on her hill.

Pamela up on her hill.

Backwards 4.

Flexing.

Looking up.

“Sit on me if you dare.”

Profile.

Inviting.

Closeup.

Telling her stories.

88 responses to “Meeting Pamela”

  7. Pamela is beautiful! I’m very interested in the name of the park. I’m quite a “student” of California history, and that was a surprise. Trees anywhere are to be celebrated. I love that you gave Pamela a name…and shared her. 🙂

  12. California Pamela thinks that California Woods Pamela is pretty awesome:-) I look forward to also meeting her, perhaps someday soon. Love your photos!

  14. That’s impressive that she can seemingly defy physics like that. I’d have thought that horizontal section would have given way long ago with that much vertical weight on it.

  16. Oh I love his work too…..as you say it makes me want to go out and do something similar. I can definitely see his influence in your wonderful work….which has the same effect on me 🙂 so inspiring, thanks 🙂

  22. Hey Seth,
    Seeing Pamela reminded me of something from my past life as a lumber baron. Back in the 80s I took a timber industry sponsored tour of west coast lumber mills – mostly small businesses, themselves endangered by the Endangered Species Act. It was a propaganda tour.
    Most memorable was a visit to a research facility at the forefront of cloning and cross breeding for various desirable traits. Like an oversized backyard plot of cornrows, trees with identical symmetries stood in line after line. Ten feet up then branch,branch,branch. All branches on the left. Trunk split in a wye at three feet up, then no branches for twenty. All the same in each row.
    So when I see a tree like Pamela, I immediately think of some architectural application. If this “4” shape is genetic and not the result of some environmental obstruction (i.e. big rock, fence), then it could be cloned.
    So imagine a platoon of Pamela’s in a long row, or a vast circle. At a certain maturity, a plankway is built in the cradle, creating an elevated walkway through a nature preserve.
    A natural skywalk or simply artistic folly, it would still look fantastic.

  23. Trees with character always invite a personal response; I know I wouldn’t be able to resist it either! I think these loving photo studies are a sensitive way of engaging with this individual. Thanks for sharing.

  25. Pamela is quite lovely. I’m glad you had a nice visit. She has a cousin here in the 7 Acre Wood. His name is Woody. He’s quite an old fellow. I’ll have to show him these pictures of Pamela. He will be happy to hear that she is doing so fine.

  34. Seth,
    I’ve nominated you for a Leibster Award. The award is a “blogger to blogger award” that both allows other bloggers to show their appreciation to one another, and is a way to get to know some one new.

    Here’s what you should do if you are interested:

    1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
    2. Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
    3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
    4. Go to their page and tell them.
    5. No tag backs!

    Here are the 11 questions from me:
    1. When did you start blogging?
    2. What motivated you to start blogging?
    3. How often do you blog?
    4. What suggestions do you have for new bloggers?
    5. How much time do you put in on a blog?
    6. Where do you come up with your ideas?
    7. What other creative venues do you have?
    8. Do you post on a particular time/day of the week?
    9. What do you find most frustrating about blogging?
    10. If you could do any one thing on your blog what would it be?
    11. What was the favorite thing you ever did with your blog?

    cheers,
    ritaLOVEStoWRITE

  38. Bonjour Pamela,
    I love meeting your beautiful tree people. She is a beauty! :Just look at those legs(err limbs). 🙂
    Happy day to you, my friend.

  41. 🙂 I thought I was the only one to talk WITH the trees!
    Tell Pamela a stranger in Delaware says “hello”.
    (Reminds me of a pair of trees in a local wooded area to me I’ve been following and revisiting for about 8 years now. Their roots grew in such a way that as they were pushed up from the ground, “his arm and hand” reached over to “protect her”. It remains one of my favorite early p&s shots. It’s been about two years since I’ve visited them, though… having moved. Your post has nudged me to revisit and soon!)

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