Rainbow Lady's Challenge - Trees

Trees is the theme set by Ujjwal from India for the Rainbow Lady's Challenge of this week. Trees are important to me and I could never live in a place that had no trees. My house is set down in the middle of a small woods so I get to look at trees whenever I gaze out any of the windows.

I have used all Dover images for this one, starting with a lovely painting of a bare elm tree. The inscription at the bottom says that the illustration was painted by the author. I have no idea what book this was in originally. I do like the look of the old elm. I added all the figures in the foreground: rooster, girl, bunnies, and dog.

The second is a watercolor painting I did of a girl flyfishing in a stream that has small trees beside it.

When I saw the theme I immediately thought of Joyce Kilmer's poem: Trees. We had to learn it in school. Kilmer was a sergeant in the 165th Infantry. He was born 1886 and was killed in action near Ourcy in 1918.


Trees by Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree who looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree who may in Summer wear
A nest of robin's in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree..