Sunday, March 31, 2013


It's been a long and busy two weeks

www.43trees.com

The last two weeks have been very busy for 43trees.com. We have completed 32 of the tree narratives, mapped the locations of 15 of the trees, and posted audio readings of 3 of the trees stories.

We are now working on a photo exhibit to accompany the website and we are attempting to arrange tree tours of the park on Sunday April 21. We've come a long way and we hope you'll come with us as we head into Earth Day celebrations.

Here are two of the latest contributions:
"Gib, Bending to Meet the Winds," by Gina Delia, is a wonderful story of meeting the challenges of life head-on.

And we are honored to have been granted permission to use the poem "Jersey Rain" by Robert Pinsky for "Robby, Nourishing Everything He Touches." Mr. Pinsky served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress between 1997 and 2000.
For a special audio version  of "Jersey Rain" click here.



Sunday, March 17, 2013


www.43trees.com

Although 43Trees.com has been posted and is a working website, we have a lot of building out to do. We have more than twenty trees that need narratives to be completed, we need to fill in the media page and we need to start putting together the photo exhibit that will accompany the website.

But as we do fill it out, we want to bring you some of the latest entries from our artists and writers. So here are a couple that have been recently posted:

Here is Fiamma, Dreams of Becoming, written by Deborah Sperry: http://bit.ly/WwOmMn

And Leon, Eiffel Towering Stature, by Meredith Remz: http://bit.ly/ZSr2aw

We hope you enjoy these and come back soon and see more of the 43 Trees life narratives.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

The 43 Trees Project started as an idea that would honor the trees lost during Super Storm Sandy.  The idea was to write 43 tree obituaries, one for every year we have celebrated Earth Day. As we assemble the project we have discovered that the artists and writers participating are often writing about personal experiences and people they have known. Their stories are diverse and add texture to the project. When  reading these poems and narratives we find ourselves developing a personal relationship to the trees being described.

And it's easy to become emotionally attach to these trees. Trees are beloved and respected everywhere. There is something universal about them.  Their growth and maturity often mimics that of a humans.  We see them growing fast early, becoming tall and strong in adolescence, shining with a brilliant canopy in mid-life and finally returning to the ground in old age. They stand with outstretched limbs that seem to welcome all those who enter their realm and we often think of them wise, deeply rooted friends.

If there is one goal that we wish to achieve with this project, it would be to have everyone look at the environment as a friend, a friend that can no longer be ignored or abused.

Here is a picture of  Jacqueline, soon you will be able to read her life story.






Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Ready to Launch!

www.43trees.com

We are getting to a very exciting place in the 43 Trees Project.  Within the next few days the website www.43trees.com will become fully functional.

Over the last month we have had a number of artists and writers create narratives for the 43 trees we are honoring.  Almost no one has turned us down. In fact, many want to contribute two or three essays, poems or memories of trees in their lives.

Stay turned, we're about ready to launch.