Saturday, July 30, 2011

Leafy cross-stitch quartet, part 3: the birch leaf!



So we've seen the maple leaf, and the oak leaf, and now it's time for the third member of our leafy quartet: the birch leaf!


I have always loved birch trees. We had a big birch tree in our backyard while I was growing up. I've got to dig up some photos of that old tree, as it features in some of my most cherished childhood memories. My dad used to fuss over that tree more than any others in our yard, watching it for insects, watering it, giving it fertilizer. He always told me that birch trees were delicate, and you had to give them extra care to keep them healthy.


Each time that we travel in Vermont, I can't get enough of the beautiful birch trees there:


At the Dorset Quarry in Dorset, Vermont

At Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home (a must-see!)

More at Hildene

One the grounds of the Southern Vermont Arts Center (SVAC) (another must-see!)

Another lovely spot at SVAC

So it was with fond memories from the distant and recent past that led me to include the birch in our leafy quartet:



The fourth and final leaf in the quartet? Perhaps my favorite of all: the ginkgo — coming soon!

1 comment:

  1. I love birch trees, too. They somehow seem really poetic and strangely poignant to me.

    Looking forward to the ginkgo, those leaves have such an intersting shape! You must have a lot of patience to be able to do these!

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