Concept:

 

My wife, Brandi, and I were spending an evening next door at our neighbors' house, relaxing on their back patio with a bottle of wine. As we chatted, I noticed the shadow of their tree being cast on the back of their house, and I found myself struck by how interesting and almost ethereal it looked in the fading light.

 

In many cultures, shadows, birds—especially robins in Native American traditions—and other natural elements are often linked with the soul. In Ancient Egypt, for example, birds were considered spiritual messengers. This got me thinking: I can't help but feel that there's something deeply conscious about trees, especially those that have stood the test of time for hundreds, or even thousands, of years. It's as if they hold a spark of higher consciousness, a quiet wisdom accumulated through the ages.