Brenda Landrum

This tree always caught my eye every time I drove down Harmony Rd in the Spring. It would glow pink in peak bloom out in the middle of the open space. I would wonder if I was the only one in all the cars zooming by on their way to school and work to notice its beauty. 

This land was about to be completely destroyed. This gorgeous crabapple, pine trees, and deciduous trees would all be bulldozed to the ground to build a strip mall and medical center. I hated that instead of maybe working around these trees that had been there for who knows how long they were willing to destroy them. 

Something in me wanted to preserve its beauty and the only way I knew how was to photograph it. I was a little hesitant to possibly trespass on this land but also didn’t want to miss the opportunity before they started working on it. So one beautifully calm April evening, I found myself with my camera and the determination to photograph this beautiful tree before it was gone. 

The first image is my favorite and I have made many prints over the years. I liked the closeness to it and how the sunset was lighting everything from the right side. Nothing else around it was green yet so I wanted to focus on its gorgeous pink blooms but also highlight its multi-branch trunk. It makes me feel like I could be sitting under this tree on a blanket enjoying a warm evening with the people I love. 

Below are other images I took as I was working my way around the tree and trying different compositions. You can really see how much this tree stood out. Trees still branches, grass still winter brown yet this crabapple would put on a glorious spring show. I’m so glad I took these images because it’s all gone and has been replaced with concrete. 

Thank you for reading the story of this beautiful crabapple tree. If you are a long time follower then you have seen it many times but maybe now you see it a little differently. And if this is the first time you’ve seen it, maybe you think of this story when you see it again. I wish we would stop tearing open natural spaces apart to build for the sake of ‘progress’ and money. What really is better for us?