Creepy Cool and Wonderful Things

Lurking Among The Trees of Tahoe National Forest

You’re never alone up here.

Walk among the ancient Trees of Tahoe National Forest with a little imagination, and you begin noticing the company you’re keeping.

A horse emerges from a sweep of weathered wood. A wolf watches from a broken trunk.

There are creatures you might recognize from a ranch or a zoo, and others you’d prefer to meet in daylight. A sinister eye follows your progress. A gargoyle seems faintly amused that you’ve finally noticed him.

Some Trees dance. Others twist in anguish, throw their arms toward heaven, or strike poses of magnificent irreverence. Such boldness needs no audience up here, but it’s a pleasure to provide one.

Look down, and a tangle of roots becomes an octopus clutching a boulder like prey. Look back, and you could swear that creepy, crooked fellow has moved a little closer.

Some Trees seem to crawl across the granite, hike the hills beside you, and duck behind one another in an elaborate game of hide-and-seek. Take a few steps, change your angle, and a face disappears and another takes its place.

These photographs began with the simple pleasure of stopping to look. Some in color, most in black and white, drawing the eye into the grain, where sunlight and shadow give each character an expression of its own.

And just when the gathering starts to feel a little eerie, a branch stretches out like an arm, offering what looks very much like an invitation to embrace.

No. You are never alone up here.

Take a look for yourself...

And then there’s the lady lounging on a sun-warmed boulder, her long, silver limbs draped casually over the granite. Entirely at ease, she seems content to let the hikers hurry past. She’s found her spot, the sun feels lovely, and she has absolutely nowhere else to be.

***

All photographs by Michael Kennedy (unless otherwise noted) / BlueWolfGallery.com

I’m Michael Kennedy, a resident of Olympic Valley, CA (in photo above with Nicola). I’m a writer and photographer and I love exploring nature and getting lost along the way. I get nervous around Nicola this time of year... We live in a world that demands our attention and I just want to say thank you for your attention. If you enjoyed this post, please share this with a friend. For more photos and stories visit BlueWolfGallery.com.