Flower Essence Plant Study Professional Course PINE Kate Doyle Part One: The Objective Perception Exercise Part Two: The Imaginative Perception Exercise Part Three: Literature Review Closing Part One – Objective Perception 1)SITTING WITH THE PINE TREE My report began and evolved the first six weeks studying the CA Wild Rose. Then, mysteriously on a hike near Paige Meadows in the west area of Lake Tahoe, I realized through many tears that I was to let go of this work with the CA Wild Rose, and study the Pine. It came suddenly and with great emotion. I picked up a branch that had fallen from a tree and even the surrounding bushes nodded me on. Living full time at the Lake I see that I am surrounded by the majestic conifer trees: pines, firs, and cedars. The pine struggles the most from long term drought and beetles. Therein lies my invitation to study greatness through struggle. Reflection on the Pine that was once so prolific, and now struggles with environmental imbalances to remain here in the Tahoe region is relevant to me. I see mostly Sugar Pines and Jeffrey Pines, but it is the Jeffrey Pine that landed in my hand to begin this amazing journey. This is a life study reflecting not only the Pine, but also myself. Once I made this shift, the words, research, and feelings were at my fingertips. I do not really draw, and yet the simple drawings came to me effortlessly. The Pine is one plant I spend time with during both the daylight and at night. I tilt my head back and look in awe at this magnificent being as I walk CA State Park 64 Acres, Lakeside each morning. I walk my dog each evening and look up through the beautiful Pine trees to the heavens above. The stars seem like twinkling lights, illuminating the skies with their presence. The Pine plant characteristics are the vastness and the enormity of its presence. All of the pictures in my report were exclusively photographed or drawn by me. 2)PARTS OF THE PINE TREE I learned the tap root penetrates deeply into the earth. The lateral roots are strong and extensive to support this tall tree. This solid foundation provides stability for the tall structure. As above, so below. The trunk is straight with a rounded crown in older, mature trees and a more pyramidal crown in young trees. The bark is a cinnamon color that is deeply furrowed with irregular scaly plates. It has a unique vanilla, pineapple, burnt sugar smell. My favorite part is the smell of the bark, what an intimate treat. This is the dominant part of the Pine that I have access to as a human. The lower branches are droopy and the upper branches are smaller and ascending upwards. There is an upward feeling to the overall tree. The evergreen, coniferous tree has needles rather than leaves. The needles come in threes and are 8-10 inches long according to my measuring. The needle clusters are arranged spirally along the branches. The needles flow with the weather to allow the tall tree to move in the strong weather here in the Sierra Mountains. The pollen cones come in the late spring, May to June. 2017 was a banner year for pollen, yellow dust was everywhere. I used my windshield wipers to clear my windows of pollen on my car many times this pollen season. The cones are a reddish-brown color with the prickles pointing inward. The cones provide the incubation space for the pine nuts to hatch. A typical cone is shaped like a tapered football and is 8-10 inches long, 15 inches at the base and 8 inches at the top of the cone according to measuring one or two that I came upon on a walk. The seeds are in the middle of wings to help transport them on the wind. These seeds are the future of the species. I noticed mainly the Golden Mantled and Gray Squirrels enjoying the bounty of the pine cones. During the different stages of growth, small seedlings tend to erupt in clusters from squirrels and other small animals burying them in clusters. The metamorphosis from a seedling to a sapling and on to become a tree is profound and geometrically very beautiful. For example, when looking closely at a Pine cone, I notice the similar spiraling I see when looking up at the branches and at the needles. Roots start simply as does the tree. When the roots descend downward and laterally, they support the towering tree above ground. The tree creates new growth by sending out new buds each spring to develop the structure of the tree. As the roots become more developed and intricate so does the tree. It is a beautiful push in opposite directions: heavenly and earthly. 3)ENVIRONMENT The environment that the Jeffrey Pine grows in varies greatly. I notice them in sunny meadows, dry areas, and emerging from rocky outcroppings and infertile soils. They seem to have great adaptability. They tend to favor sunlight and lack of competition as I rarely saw them in big groupings together. The trees I observed were so tall that I was not able to see insects from the ground level, but I am aware of the devastation by the beetles in the Lake Tahoe basin. The other plants I observed nearby are other trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Primarily, the trees nearby are Douglas Fir, Cedar, Sugar Pine, Quaking Aspen, and Cottonwood trees. Some of the shrubs are Elderberry, Manzanita, Snowberry, Oregon Grape, Thimbleberry, Gooseberry, and several ferns. Many different wildflowers depending on the elevation and the month. The repetitive wildflowers were Wild Roses, Golden Rod, Asters, Lupines, Indian Paintbrush, Columbine, Sticky Cinquefoil, Sweet Pea, Wooly Mules Ears, and Yarrow. 4)FOUR ELEMENTS The four elements, Earth, Water, Air and Fire are all relevant in ways. The primary two are Earth and Air. Earth for the deep roots and impact on the surrounding ecosystem due to a large presence. Numerous plants can thrive in the Jeffrey Pine tree shade. Pine has a solid, rigid structure with a woody stem/trunk. The branches can droop down towards the earth, but then at the end of the branch it sweeps towards the sky. Water for the adaptability to grow in either moist or dry environments. The Pine favors dry environments. It has the capacity to store water in the needles, branches and trunk. Another feature of the Pine is its ability to exude sap from the trunk. Air for the height and commanding presence the massive tree commands. The needles and branches allow air and light to pass through. Without this ability, the tall tree would topple in the high winds here in the Sierra. The Pine tree occupies quite a large area of space and has a growth pattern that is quite expansive. Additionally, it is wind pollinated, using air to propagate. Fire for the ability to thrive in the hot sun on mountain tops and ridges. The Pine blooms in the fullness of summer. It has explosive qualities in how it releases seeds from the cones. The Pine tree has strong aromatic oils in its bark and needles. Finally, Pine has a relationship to fire and the release of seeds from the cones. 5)FOUR SEASONS The Pine has different activity through the four seasons. There is much reproductive activity is in the spring when the new cones emerge, pollen spreads and fertilizes the cones, and new plant growth appears. The summer months reveal the development of the cones. The fall season is the time when the seeds and cones disburse from the wind activity and the small animal collection and movement of the cones. Winter is a dormant season due to the decrease in temperature and prevalence of snowfall. There are not noticeable changes to the Pine tree throughout the day. 6) SKETCHE S 09/2017 • Needles 7)SENSORY EXPERIENCES My delicious sensory experience is the bark. I love to touch it and to smell the yummy vanilla, burnt sugar, pineapple scents intertwined in the bark. Such a nice invitation to touch and smell this large presence, the Pine. I have chewed Pine Buds in the spring time, they are refreshing and soothing to my throat. I have not harvested local pine nuts, but look forward to this wild food this fall. Part Two – The Imaginative Perception 1) Reconstruct with my Imagination The essence of the Pine is a stairway to heaven, a ladder to heights unknown. The aspects represent peace, patience, and presence. Some of the Pines favorite things are the 2 legged sillies and a good stiff breeze. Their teachings are to LOOK UP, TRUST your heading, here is what STEADFASTNESS looks like, a UNIQUE perspective, STRENGTH, and SHARING bounty. Fairy Tale Once upon a time there was a once upon a time, and during this particular once upon a time there was a winged baby so delicate, so vulnerable. There were four legged predators and drying days, but every so often these winged beauties found their way to manifestation in the moist, warm loving arms of Mother Earth. From this place of love of a Mother, springs life in the slow lane for the Pine. Emergence as delicate fairy earth doodles (saplings), they form a tribe of sorts. Synergy in beauty and honoring space, the Pine takes root in the softness of Mother. Pine patiently proceeds towards Heaven, taking with her other beings of like vibration. Those Fairies, 4 legged dependents, and 2 legged minds on sticks all commune around and with the beloved Pine.