Solitary White Pine
Alliston, Ontario - 2006

This photograph I put in the category "The Sacrifices We Make".

I spotted this old pine tree on top of a hill way off in the distance on my drive home from work, little did I realize I had to get across an irrigation ditch to get to it. Getting there was not so bad, but on my way back as I jumped my feet hit the opposite bank and it collapsed under me. I proceeded to sink in muddy, weedy water up to my chest. I scrambled out soaked to the bone, covered in mud and my boots filled with weeds. It was still early spring and quite cold, with no jacket I trudged back to the car making all kinds of interesting sloshing noises and fearing hypothermia.

When I got home, my partner Catherine took one look at me and caught a whiff (as an added bonus I stank to high heavens) and said "I hope it was worth it". I believe it was as this remains one of my favorite images.

I love the rough texture of the bark and the softness of the billowing clouds in the background. This tree has stood sentinel on top of that hill for many years and I hope to photograph it in various seasons in the future.