What Fire Left Behind...and a foreshadowing of my future.
a calling from the trees began and the possibility opened with the burning of my home....this image is of the metal siding left from the fire with trees images burned into it!
December 2017 - March 2018
The Tree Pilgrimage is born.
As the Thomas Fire raged from Santa Paula to Ventura and then burned straight through the ranch where I was living, in Toro Canyon, my whole world was turned upside down and changed forever.
That Toro Canyon ranch was my absolute favorite place to be and it was burned beyond live-ability, with water pipes and electricity lines completely destroyed. The bedroom shack, my beautiful outdoor shower and dish-washing shed were a pile of rubble. The only structure standing was the living room / kitchen shack.
The reality of my situation set in and a deep process of grief and letting go began. My magical home was no longer my quiet nature refuge.
what fire left behind...
Dealing with my feelings of loss and examining my current life choices were my focus over the next few months. I didn't work, stayed with family and friends and began to ask myself, what is truly important and what needs to be let go in my life. Managing 4 personal businesses and acting as a support for 2 more businesses had left me completely exhausted and stretched beyond my capacity to live properly.
It was time to simplify, and thanks to the fire, the amount of possessions I owned and the amount of expenses I had to cover were drastically reduced. I put one of my businesses on hold, stopped supporting the 2 businesses I was helping and let myself slowly heal.
And as I took the time to be quiet, feel the grief and rise from the ashes, a whisper from the trees was starting to emerge. A calling, that had been percolating for many years, was starting to make itself a priority. I had wanted to photograph the amazing Trees from around the world for a long time.
And now there felt like a deeper calling, a deeper way of seeing, photographing and being with the Trees was emerging. That was when, in March of 2018, The Tree Pilgrimage was officially born. I began to feel how the Trees had individual messages and also a collective message that was being asked to be brought out into the world.
And now, I am officially unveiling my project! The Tree Pilgrimage!
I intend to create an immersive experience after my pilgrimage, as tree scribe is complete. It will have a combination of images, video and soundscapes of all the trees and their environments as well as their messages they wish to be shared in the world.
As I grow and evolve through this process, you will get to experience small pieces, images and soundscapes of the Tree Pilgrimage and even possibly join me in Tree immersion days when the time is right.
As I wrap up my commitments in the Santa Barbara area in April 2018, I am beginning the plans for my first mission as tree scribe, with my original tree family, the Redwoods.
I'm beyond excited and honored for this mission and am equally happy to have you along the journey with me!
Follow me through the forrests of the world :
www.thetreepilgrimage.com
circle of redwoods, Parrisma Creek State Park
