It’s turned out to be a Van Morrison triple-play week after my friend Elizabeth of the beautiful blog, a moon, worn as if it had been a shell, left me this comment on yesterday’s Van Morrison post:
You want Veedon Fleece, too. And have you ever listened to “Redwood Tree” about a boy and his dog — one of my favorite Van Morrison songs ever —
No, Elizabeth, I had never listened to “Redwood Tree” and when I played it this morning with thunderstorms headed in over our Ponderosa Pines and my dog circling my feet looking for a cool spot, I burst into tears. I am not sad. The song just hit me in a powerful way. I thought about this being Darby’s last home. About me continuing to look for him, always. I thought about this photo of my nieces, who refuse to stop growing up…
I looked up the lyrics to the song:
Boy and his dog
Went out looking for the rainbow
You know what did they learn
Since that very day.
Walking by the river
And running like a blue streak
Through the fields of streams and meadows
Laughing all the way.
Oh redwood tree
Please let us under
When we were young we used to go
Under the redwood tree.
And it smells like rain
Maybe even thunder
Won’t you keep us from all harm
Wonderful redwood tree.
And a boy and his father
Went out, went out looking for the lost dog
You know what oh haven’t they learned
Since they did that together
They did not bring him back
He already had departed
But look at everything they have learned
Since that, since that very day.
Oh redwood tree
Please let us under.
When we were young we used to go
Under the redwood tree.
And it smells like rain
Maybe even thunder
Won’t you keep us from all harm
Wonderful redwood tree.
And I found these amazing photos here…
If you have never heard “Redwood Tree” either, here it is…
Thanks, Elizabeth. Have a happy weekend, everyone. Take lots of photos.