"Tree Hanging"

As our first winter storm approaches I couldn't help remembering hanging out in my hammock in the trees on a sweet summer day. Vancouver Island well actually Salt Spring Island. Soon god soon. This is a Hennesey Hammock made on Vancouver Island actually. They have a mesh net that covers the top portion and seals it to the bottom part. There is an opening in the bottom that you crawl up into the hammock and turm your body diagonally which helps reseal the opening (seals with velcro). It is very comfortable, off the ground, free from bugs and there is a tarp that protects from a light rain. At night I put an air mattress under my sleeping bag all of which is also turned diagonally. All that is really left to do is to listen for the wind and enjoy the rhythm as you rock to sleep while savoring the sweet smells of the forest and the various hummings of breezes blowing through the branches and the leafs of your bedposts.

You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet. -- Hal Borland

One of my favourite trees on the Island is the Arbutus tree. It sheds it's red bark and lays bare its' flesh which has a red kind-of pomergranite color to it. Very knarly and spectacular. Quite awesome to sleep in. More on Arbutus at: www.bceh.com/arbutus_trees.htm