Music in the Trees: a written audio postcard

One vividly memorable sound that I can recall (in my head) on the spot is the sound of the wind at my families house outside of Battle Creek, MI. It’s not overly windy in this area but the winds can pick up, and when they do it creates an incredible sound engulfing all it encounters. There are various trees around the house, many variety of pines, maples and, most importantly, aspens. The aspen leaves flutter and rattle in the midst of the wind. Just the slightest hint of breeze creates the type of sound you would expect to hear at a calm beach or during a light rain. The constant quake of these trees (where ever I am) takes me home to a state where I can be calm and relaxed. I associate this sound with a clear sky, relaxed day, with a fair temperature; the perfect day. These trees make a sort of white noise you can loose yourself in, one that can take you to a pleasant state of meditation. Every now and then you will be able to hear the faint creaking in a near by trunk of the surrounding trees; not an alarming sound, but instead one that compliments the patter of the leaves. In addition a high pitched whistling can be heard from inside the house on a day like this; the aspens can be heard inside as well. In the fall the sound of the leaves scraping along the cement joins in the orchestra and helps create one of the most astonishing sounds if you actually take the time to become an active listener to the music of the forest.

Telling Time

From Ryan Thurmer:

TELLING TIME:
In Nature
-position of the sun
-temperature of the air or surfaces
-color of the sky
-cast shadows
-tides
-geological strata layers/fossils
-hunger

Man Made Systems
-amount of traffic/parking
-amount of street noise, and what type of noise
-a flip through a photograph album

Haiku
Shadows mountains moons
and sands the color of the
sky says more then hi.