The Flaming Tree

March 20, 2010

After living in California for about twenty years, give or take a few, I relocated to one of the bigger cities of western Pennsylvania. Why? Longer stories here but suffice it to say I wanted another change. If you’ve not guessed it by now I’ve got the wander as well as the wonder lust. If you’ve traveled on any vacation, you’ll know why.

Besides all that it was too long before I had witnessed an actual fall season. It was a long time since I’ve seen multiple colour bursts or patterns painted on foliage and forests of trees appearing to be on fire. Fall is as if an army of inspired artist’s passed through everywhere while throwing or painting precisely everything as they went.

If it’s not a mmusic or an art project, commission situation or any of those combined as a work/play thing that take mme to wherever it is, then I’ll go it alone, with mmy FACE of course. We’ll just move to wherever seems to be calling us at the time; hang for as long as it takes. Mind you, nothing is easy or as simple as it may appear. As you can imagine there are the same trade off’s as any you can imagine.

Mind you this is one of the reasons I’ve lived in so many cities while claiming to have visited every U.S. state except one. The single reason or factor of one is mostly because as technology goes at this point of scientific discoveries, we’re not yet able to drive to the big Island. That and the fact that I’ve never been asked to play in the Pro Bowl is why.

The year long residence in Pennsylvania was one such place. Like many of the places I’ve visited in the past I had a good friend who lived close and on the outskirts to a big city really. He and his family were living not too far from where I first witnessed the fall foliage I’ve not seen in over twenty plus years. I could have but didn’t until now.

Driving cross country with his wife’s home state and their home being the next to the final destination I had seen a bit of fall’s colour. If you’ve not seen it, the Pennsylvania Turnpike passes through some of the most beautiful scenery one can see in this United States.

As a matter of fact, at that time Tom and his wife owned the old civil war type farm that wasn’t a farm. It was the same place when first being mesmerized; I sat in front of a tall, thin, plain as day tinted red/orange tree. If it wasn’t for the fact that there were no siren’s blaring, no smoke or intense heat, I could’ve sworn it was on fire.

The flame seemed to be the entire tree that had the shape of a stricken match or a lit candle pointed skyward. I sat there on the dry dirt in front of the house in pure amazement. It seemed like I was in a Disney dream. The approximate place I set mmyself was thirty feet away from it. I had to be sitting there for over an hour. It was unbelievable.

As an artist I was asking mmyself what the hell was I doing by missing these work of art views for so long. No matter where mmy head turned the next view was more beautiful than the last. Turning back to the same view brought the same reaction. I just couldn’t get enough of any view no matter where mmy head turned.

Tom the owner and I drove from his home in Pennsylvania to his farm in West Virginia. It took a few hours to drive to his home away from home. Our mmusic lives pretty much paralleled. He had been off play for a while as well. The drive gave him an excuse to recharge again.

His life was also that of a mmusician and a fellow drummer at that. Where we differed was his preferred bands were mostly of the blues variety. Alvin Lee and Johnny Winter were two of his long standing gigs and claims to fame. They and he are parted; in mmusic’s history.

Tom and his wife purchased the property but he’s the one who really took advantage of its rural and more remote to civilisation qualities. I’mm sure if he had a choice he’d rather be ‘on the farm’ so to speak than anywhere else; at least for as long as it took to slowly wind down like a long distance runner who would change pace and crawl instead.

Viewing Mother Nature anywhere really, no matter the weather, time of year, night or day. She rejuvenates us from a hurried, scurried and intense life where one may often need a break; a change of pace heals.

Being in the presence of oceans of humanity who may be screaming with joy every single day is one of those intense parts of many a mmusicians life. There has to be a balance for most if not all of us, or it’ll take a toll one may not necessarily prefer that’s for sure.

Like a pill prescribed by the doctor who left all the medicine to heal one’s self for anything, just lying around to be discovered or found for any purpose really, Mother Nature’s store is where we’ll usually find the cure. Sitting in front of a flaming tree was a cure in pure colours.