Although it is one of those pesky imports and invasive species, the many types of eucalyptus trees never cease to enchant me. This particular tree near Morro Bay is a huge puzzle and portrait of life as the tree lives it.
Human made complexity is everywhere. Barbed wire was created out of necessity to keep cattle enclosed in a small or large areas. According to Wikipedia, Lucien B. Smith of Kent, Ohio, invented what many open rangers viewed as the bane of their existence in 1867. To the uninitiated, the wire produces a powerful bite and lasting scars if encountered at the wrong angle (almost any). It seems benign coiled in the snow, but it will be very interesting getting it untangled after the thaw.
Embrace the complex nature of life.
until next Monday,
DB
a passion for the image
The tree and barbed wire couldn't be more different but both are strangely evocative. The eucalyptus is gnarled, has great volume and is almost animated whereas the wire is spare and cold. I like the juxtaposition of the opposites.
ReplyDeleteThere were once hundreds of barb wire patterns many specific to an individual ranch. An expert could identify the ranch and likely date from seeing the wire.