A glimpse of Edinburgh

 

Click here for more photos

Sorry it's been a while since I last posted. There are so many posts in the works, so many photos of beautiful things, but I have to be realistic: I'm still in graduate school and I can't forget that!

It was a beautiful weekend though, and this afternoon, despite it getting almost completely dark by 4 p.m., was stunning. Time to share some photos while I can. You can read more about each photo at the link above.

Class is going well and we only have a couple of weeks left of actual class. We'll have some time to breathe, but it will still be filled with studying and preparing for our 12-day trip to Belize in January. In the mean time there will be an American Thanksgiving dinner and a British Christmas dinner.

Limbwalking and Trunkhugging: Hanging out in the canopy with Ian and Steve

Trust means something different when the only things between you and the ground are a length of rope and two metal rings.

Fall is coming to Martha's Vineyard, and the island is slowing down and raising up a couple inches as the last few vacationers trickle away. All this means it is time for Steve and Ian to start tree work up again. Working in trees takes time and planning and Fall is a great time for them to devote a couple of days a week to getting things done above the ground.

It was an informative afternoon today during the ArborMaster training held at the Arboretum and my understanding of what was going on was aided by my experience last week with Ian and Steve (goodness, do I wish they'd covered knots in Girl Scouts!). I have an elevated respect for trees and arborists after my experiences this last week. While there were some jarring and sobering photos and stories shared today, assessing and working in trees is incredibly important. We can help them be healthier for themselves and safer for humans walking under them, but we need to be safe, educated and respectful of the danger involved.

I will be honest I was a little nervous last Tuesday about climbing the 50+ ft. tall Pinus taeda, loblolly pine, and I was wishing I hadn't just ate lunch as I stood at the base looking up to where I'd wrap my lanyard at one of the tallest crotches in the tree.. However, the butterflies flew away as I worked my way up the line with the pantin, and much coaching from Steve and Ian. After "hanging out" and watching them work, I can't wait to learn more about climbing and rigging. It's amazing what you can do with some good rope, carabiners, and the know-how to put them to work.