Julie, this is beautiful. I listened once, read it two times, saving it for a fourth time, might even share it during book club tomorrow. Yes, to Sally's comment The Hidden Life of Trees. Also, Entangled Life but more than both of these - a great story that resonates and feels as touchable as the rough bark of a tree, the newly emerging leaves, and a shared history of human and trees, if only we pay attention.
HEARTWOOD fully inhabits this POV. It’s fun and poignant and shows that a shift in POV goes a long way toward creating empathy and understanding. You’ve just inspired me to go deeper with my own stories. I love the desc of the mittens and blue veins and Sam and Tree’s relationship.
This was so lovely, Julie! I felt so many things - I wanted to warn Ace not to trust the walking people completely, even if Bettina and Sam can be. I felt Mother’s bitterness and I think of how we all start off a little sweet. Perhaps the most profound feeling is trees witnessing multiple generations and yet, it’s not
Well done Julie! I love the title. Bringing in the mother tree, with her bad attitude, offers an edge to the story and deepens the sense of exploring the realms of humanity (and trees). I liked when you wove in the comment about the socials/internet with the network of trees and now I will hold that visual in my mind.
I can't imagine the effort to write a piece like this and look forward to the other installments. 10/10!
Beautiful. I love it. I’m looking forward to the next part. I’m reminded of the book The Hidden Life of Trees. How wonderful and alive and interconnected trees are! Thank you, also, for the link to the map! We have a land acknowledgement statement adopted by the city council where I live. Among other things, I learned I’ve been pronouncing all our local names incorrectly!
Thanks for reading and chiming in, Sally. I cringe at how badly I must have pronounced those names. I even looked on Native-lands map for pronunciation guides, but clearly not long enough. That map is the coolest, though.
Love the unexpected POV! And this line, from the perceptive maple: “It’s sad so many of them don’t know what their heart is capable of, what it’s for.”
I've been noticing in my inbox that you had a story in installments that I was missing this month, so I waited til I could start at the beginning. I'm hooked on the characters, the language, the point of view, and the clear array of serious conflicts that might flare up. This is off to a wonderful start!
Buskers even playing well known covers rarely make much money. Those of us that concentrated on our own songs were far less likely to afford paying for recordings. The travelling lifestyle choice was more important than investing for return or for fame. I loved it....
Wow Julie ! Beautiful. Sentient trees I have found in so many stories, and in 1986 I wrote a song in which the refrain was "For I have flown 42 times round the Sun"..... Seems that Humans are mycelial too, tree families in our every cell, remembering their roots, n'est pas
Yes, people and trees do have a special relationship. Or at least some people. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts here. Did you ever record that song?
Julie, this is beautiful. I listened once, read it two times, saving it for a fourth time, might even share it during book club tomorrow. Yes, to Sally's comment The Hidden Life of Trees. Also, Entangled Life but more than both of these - a great story that resonates and feels as touchable as the rough bark of a tree, the newly emerging leaves, and a shared history of human and trees, if only we pay attention.
Many thanks, Stacy! I’m so glad you read and enjoyed it. It’s been such a pleasure to write.
Julie!!! 💛✨ I love this. I didn’t want it to end.
Awww! Thanks for reading, M.G.! If you knew how it *really* ends, you'd probably feel that even more acutely. . . . 😬
HEARTWOOD fully inhabits this POV. It’s fun and poignant and shows that a shift in POV goes a long way toward creating empathy and understanding. You’ve just inspired me to go deeper with my own stories. I love the desc of the mittens and blue veins and Sam and Tree’s relationship.
Thanks, M.G. It's been a joy working on this one.
It hasn't ended, Mary, merely, barely hibernated
This was so lovely, Julie! I felt so many things - I wanted to warn Ace not to trust the walking people completely, even if Bettina and Sam can be. I felt Mother’s bitterness and I think of how we all start off a little sweet. Perhaps the most profound feeling is trees witnessing multiple generations and yet, it’s not
a relationship we honor. Fantastic!
Thanks for such a sensitive reading, Priya. It’s a delight to see what people resonate with.
Well done Julie! I love the title. Bringing in the mother tree, with her bad attitude, offers an edge to the story and deepens the sense of exploring the realms of humanity (and trees). I liked when you wove in the comment about the socials/internet with the network of trees and now I will hold that visual in my mind.
I can't imagine the effort to write a piece like this and look forward to the other installments. 10/10!
Thanks for reading Donna and for sharing your thoughts. It's such a delight to hear what resonates with readers. 💚
Beautiful. I love it. I’m looking forward to the next part. I’m reminded of the book The Hidden Life of Trees. How wonderful and alive and interconnected trees are! Thank you, also, for the link to the map! We have a land acknowledgement statement adopted by the city council where I live. Among other things, I learned I’ve been pronouncing all our local names incorrectly!
Thanks for reading and chiming in, Sally. I cringe at how badly I must have pronounced those names. I even looked on Native-lands map for pronunciation guides, but clearly not long enough. That map is the coolest, though.
Love the unexpected POV! And this line, from the perceptive maple: “It’s sad so many of them don’t know what their heart is capable of, what it’s for.”
Thanks for reading, Stephanie. Glad you’re enjoying it.
I've been noticing in my inbox that you had a story in installments that I was missing this month, so I waited til I could start at the beginning. I'm hooked on the characters, the language, the point of view, and the clear array of serious conflicts that might flare up. This is off to a wonderful start!
I’m so glad you’re reading, Tara!
Me too!
Julie, I'm sooo happy to see Heartwood Part 1 here. I love this story so much. ❤️
Thanks so much, Kelsey, and especially for all your help with it. 💚
Brava, can't wait for more parts, and this length is just right. Also, beautiful artwork. A delight!
Awesome! Thanks for weighing in Mary Beth. And for all your help with this. (Also, I recognized “Brava” and had a little smile.)😊
Reclaiming language is part of the healing journey.😉
Go get it!! 👊
Buskers even playing well known covers rarely make much money. Those of us that concentrated on our own songs were far less likely to afford paying for recordings. The travelling lifestyle choice was more important than investing for return or for fame. I loved it....
I also love the POV in this and how you sensitively conveyed the interrelationships. Looking forward to part II!
Thanks for reading, Safar. Your encouragement means a lot to me.
Never recorded any of my songs, but this one was added to in significant years, with the number of flights increasing....
Yes, funny how that happens.
Wow Julie ! Beautiful. Sentient trees I have found in so many stories, and in 1986 I wrote a song in which the refrain was "For I have flown 42 times round the Sun"..... Seems that Humans are mycelial too, tree families in our every cell, remembering their roots, n'est pas
Yes, people and trees do have a special relationship. Or at least some people. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts here. Did you ever record that song?
I liked this very much. Look forward to reading more.
Thanks for reading, Sue, and for your encouragement.