'All That is Gold does not Glister' - by JRR Tolkien

The words came to mind after my good friend and former colleague Johann sent me this lovely delicate winter image from her travels last week up here in Cumbria. She is an ace photographer.

 I hope the words complement the image.

 I have two particular trees that have been immensely important to me. We regularly have a tree surgeon to look after the huge Ash tree at the bottom of the garden and dominates the view from the kitchen window.

 Over the years it has been a constant reassuring presence, symbol of protection and inspiration (a mirror of all sorts of projections of course) and deeply associated with its centrality in Viking Mythology as Yssgadril, their sacred tree that united both heaven and earth.

 The second most important tree is the Bonsai given to me by colleagues when I retired nearly nine years ago. 

Its toughness and resilience have withstood even my sub-optimal care. 

Looking out on the flurries of snow this afternoon, there is a part of it aware (somewhere on the spectrum of consciousness) of the Spring to come and long days in the garden.



 ALL THAT IS GOLD DOES NOT GLISTER
All that is gold does not glister,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

 From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.


JRR Tolkien
(words spoke by Strider in 'Fellowship of the Ring' Book One)












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