On a day like this, with mercury reaching the scorching thirties in these windless streets, what happens when you wonder off into the nearby park, up the worn-out brick steps? Remnants of a previously well kept coated wire fence, sweet wrappings, rusty old padlock, cigarette butts. A giant of a tree, showing signs of wear and abuse from the weather, graffiti artist, dogs...
What is more obvious and naturally inviting is the welcoming canopy of tiny leaves that spreads it’s arms , I guess , at least eight metres from its origin, which I can only describe as a caricature of a tree trunk. One would never be able to imagine the shape, overall or specific if one were asked to create a tree trunk of this nature. It is truly a sight to behold; if you are into this kind of thing. Either way, the tree is serving as a giant umbrella and suddenly I feel a gentle breeze. This fascination of canopy providing refuge from the sun, at the same time, mesmerising, with amazing detail of branch shapes, intertwined to create even more confusion in the structures of the mind. As if this one woody protector was not enough, there are four more equally impressive canopies interconnected by the branches, like fingers from both hands, forming a solid connection overhead.
There is room enough for two bus-loads of boxing-day folks from the suburbs, to happily lounge around without having to move that picnic blanket once, through the entire day. Right now, however, it’s just me and my two rand koeksisters which is about all I need for lunch today - That washed down with a guava juice from dairy belle.
There ought to be a law against trees standing around nameless. I have a real concern, and maybe you do too, when something gives you such comfort and you can’t call it by its true name. A generic name like tree will hardly do. Yes, its bark is greyish and the leaves are small and ovate, with a singular green fruit at the end of the drooping branch. But how does that help me? There ought to be a button one can push to light up an LCD screen, scrolling off names, statistics and what-not. In this day and age do you not also expect technology attached?
On a hot day when, sitting in backed-up traffic on the N2 out of Cape Town, take a short left at Searle Street. Stop and venture into Trafalgar Park and enjoy an escape into nature right in the middle of the bustling cosmopolitan streets. Too often we wish we were somewhere else. Too often we overlook the small treasures, available and open to the public.
Balckie
What is more obvious and naturally inviting is the welcoming canopy of tiny leaves that spreads it’s arms , I guess , at least eight metres from its origin, which I can only describe as a caricature of a tree trunk. One would never be able to imagine the shape, overall or specific if one were asked to create a tree trunk of this nature. It is truly a sight to behold; if you are into this kind of thing. Either way, the tree is serving as a giant umbrella and suddenly I feel a gentle breeze. This fascination of canopy providing refuge from the sun, at the same time, mesmerising, with amazing detail of branch shapes, intertwined to create even more confusion in the structures of the mind. As if this one woody protector was not enough, there are four more equally impressive canopies interconnected by the branches, like fingers from both hands, forming a solid connection overhead.
There is room enough for two bus-loads of boxing-day folks from the suburbs, to happily lounge around without having to move that picnic blanket once, through the entire day. Right now, however, it’s just me and my two rand koeksisters which is about all I need for lunch today - That washed down with a guava juice from dairy belle.
There ought to be a law against trees standing around nameless. I have a real concern, and maybe you do too, when something gives you such comfort and you can’t call it by its true name. A generic name like tree will hardly do. Yes, its bark is greyish and the leaves are small and ovate, with a singular green fruit at the end of the drooping branch. But how does that help me? There ought to be a button one can push to light up an LCD screen, scrolling off names, statistics and what-not. In this day and age do you not also expect technology attached?
On a hot day when, sitting in backed-up traffic on the N2 out of Cape Town, take a short left at Searle Street. Stop and venture into Trafalgar Park and enjoy an escape into nature right in the middle of the bustling cosmopolitan streets. Too often we wish we were somewhere else. Too often we overlook the small treasures, available and open to the public.
Balckie
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