Branching occurs in nature on so many scales. I think we find branching pleasing and satisfying to the eye. I am fascinated by how it repeats itself everywhere- water erosion patterns, wind erosion patterns, patterns of growth in leaves, branches, lichen, moss, crystals….
It was pretty much the theme of my recent trip to Santa Barbara.
I was so happy to have a window seat for the flight- after Denver the landscape was endlessly fascinating and varying. It’s interesting where humans have utterly sculpted the geography to suit them, it’s fairly uniform;l a grid laid out with only minor variations and interruptions for steep hills, various bodies of water and streams and rivers.
But west of Denver, the surface of the earth is much less tolerant of all the petting and combing and arranging we do in the mild midwest. It’s filled with mountains and wild erosions and rocks and desert.
After I landed, my brother drove me directly to the beach. Looking down at the sand, I felt like I was still flying.
then we walked to the pier and there was the pattern again! This time floating in the water.
and of course all those branching streams and mountain ridges, sand and seaweed only served to remind me of my beloved tree branches.
Santa Barbara is like one giant botanical garden. I have never seen such a variety of beautiful and fascinating plants just by going on a walk!
I am refreshed, rejuvenated and inspired by all that I saw there.
You should be seeing some Santa Barbara flora showing up on pots in the near future. I have all sorts of new ideas.