Underneath a great tree

June 5, 2007

The roots of the Rusty-leaf Fig Tree is twisting and streaming out of the earth, creating the look of flowing hot lava. But the roots are not hot at all – it is cool underneath the shade that is created by massive amounts of branches and leaves. Infinitely numerous leaves of the trees are offspring of this tree full of energy. Another striking about the tree is how far the branches spread outward from the trunk of the tree. It doesn’t take too long to figure out how tree does it – those far-spanning branches are emerging from tougher, thicker part of lower branches, which are connected steadily to the trunk of the tree. Resulting scene is a dynamic composition of hierarchy of size of branches.
Although it is a warm day, here under the shade of the tree is almost chilly. Ground of young grass I’m sitting on is moist, and right before me, bare soil that holds thick spreading roots of tree starts. Around me life at Cal Poly is moving on – People biking by, some at blinding speed and some leisurely, people walking, cars passing by…