Growing is Forever from Jesse Rosten on Vimeo.
The spouse and friends and I try to take an annual camping trip to the Northern California coast, specifically Patrick’s Point State Park and surrounding beaches and forests. (If you have never been, imagine the Ewok battle in that one Star Wars, because it was filmed in these forests.) They’re eerie and breathtaking and truly seem to exist out of time. I honestly hold my breath when I’m in them because a part of me fully expects a dinosaur to come crashing out of a grove at any minute. Three years ago we took a stroll through Trinidad Grove and, a few days after returning to the grid, the muse struck and I wrote a vignette about it, posted it online, and thought little else about it. My cinematographer friend (and fellow camper/tree worshipper) Jesse Rosten seized upon it and tucked a copy away for future workings.
Now, the workings have been worked. Jesse had me record a portion of the vignette and combined it with some excellent Album Leaf music and his signature stunning visual style. The video, ‘Growing Is Forever’ is presently on the homepage of Vimeo and I absolutely love it. I hope you do, too. And if you ever have the chance to visit the area, take it.
Updated!
Here is the full text; many who have only seen the video have called it a poem (which is fine) so I hope its revelation as prose doesn’t disappoint the diehard poesy fans.
A very long time ago, there were no groves because everywhere was a grove with no roads to bisect and no people to erect stones and fences and bridges. The trees were very, very young and had much living ahead of them. The enormity of their lifespan loomed in wooly mists around them, so they stretched out their root fingers and wrapped them around each others’, intertwining and holding very tight. The ferns found pockets of root fingers where they could nestle in and the moss stretched itself out over the soil and everything became very soft. The trees grew and made patterns of light and dark on the ground and the vines swirled in to trace the patterns. Spotted spiders moved back and forth and up and down, making nets to catch the mist, and the mist would linger on the nets in drops that cupped the light. It was very quiet all the time because the trees needed to focus on their lives. It is not easy to grow so much, for so long. Some trees became tired and lay down on the soft ground; others leaned and rested their tops on another. Growing is forever, they whispered, and when one tree had to stop, another would grow out of it and reach very high into the grey and gold sky.
The trees rested and waited to the mist to come and cool them. They were very large, but still not very old, and had much more growing to do.
I just saw this on the vimeo home page, congrats! Breathtaking cinematography matched perfectly with a beautifully written narration. I’m about to embark on a few similar projects, thank you for the inspiration! I am your latest twitter follower : )
lovely narration, congrats!
Hi Kallie,
I wrote first to your friend Jesse with the following; Your video made me cry. The words, the music, the scenery are all just too awesome for words…thank you. I have been feeling a pull that has been becoming increasingly stronger for some time now to the point that I have been searching for homes in and around red wood forests lately. I think this video has just pushed me over the top into firmly wanting to make this a reality this year! Thanks for posting this lovely piece of art. Much appreciated, much more than I can express here.
Beautiful things happen when you take a moment to find out what’s happening on Vimeo. I just watched this video, and it brought me right back to the first (and only) time I had a chance to count the steps around one of these giants. I was seven, and I was in awe. Much like the experience of hearing your words — and seeing their beauty, all over again. Like Michael said, thanks for the inspiration!
This overwhelms me with its beauty. I’d love to read this in its original form, but I can’t seem to find it anywhere- would you possibly be able to link me to it? Thank you!
Beautiful and enchanting project. I loved the writing and pointing of view, and hearing your wonder and awe of such beauty. And hearing the metaphor for life and the experience of living.
stunning, and brought tears. I could close my eyes and listen again and again. thank you.
I love the video, and I can almost smell the trees and feel them growing… My 5 year old grand daughter loves it just as much! It would make a wonderful children’s book. There is so much the trees can tell us and bring to the generation that is growing up. Thanks you for the beautiful story, and gentle words! It is so awe invoking. We need more of this in our lives, more trees and more people like you!
A string of such beauty could only be further amplified through it being spoken. Coupled with the sights of beautiful giants, it is a work that is best shared. I did. On Facebook. Splendid, wonderful, excellent. Your fan from now on.
I have loved this video since I discovered it a couple months ago. In fact, just earlier this evening, it was returned to my attention and I fell in love with the writing all over again. It sent me on an author hunt, of sorts, which led to an awkward, though comical, Facebook question and answer session with a woman who turns out to be your sister-in-law. (Her name is Kallie as well.)
Needless to say, I was moved by your writing. So rarely does a writer manage to capture exactly what is seen and turn it into such a stirring experience. Your words helped capture the beauty and majesty of a place I may never get to see, as well as reiterate the beauty and majesty that writing has always held for me.
For all these things, I just had to say thank you! (And thanks to your sister-in-law as well, for pointing me in the right direction. Lol.)
Marvelous! I’m glad it had such an impact! I will tell Kallie she was helpful.
(Of all the names in all the world and all the ways to spell them, right??) Thanks for the kind words!
breathtaking. What camera was used to shoot this?
Matt, try Jesse Rosten’s site for camera info. He’s the visual artist. http://jesserosten.com/2010/growing-is-forever
It’s very beautiful. I fell in love with this video!
Nice work, I really enjoy !
Thanks…
i watched it over and over again! it’s inspiring ..:) it’s touching to see life cycle and watch every part of it.. make me feel alive! thanx alot…^_^
This is breathtaking! I just got back from the Redwoods further north and it made me sick for home all over again watching and listening… I think I’ll include this video link in another forest post I’m putting together on my blog. Hopefully tonight after the kiddos are in bed. If you don’t mind me sharing (:
Kallie,
Your work with Jesse Rosten creating this SUBLIME video is precious. Thank you SO MUCH for this gift for all of us.
Today I shared it with my colleagues in Brazil, in a public Facebook page for people who study the plants and flower essences. Many of them don’t speak English, so I quoted your text, with your name at the top, and translated it to Portuguese so people would partake of the beauty of your words.
Here is the text in portuguese, if you ever want or need it:
Há muito tempo atrás, não haviam bosques porque todo lugar era um bosque sem estradas dividindo nem pessoas erigindo pedras e cercas e pontes. As árvores eram muito, muito jovens e ainda tinham muita vida a ser vivida. A enormidade do seu ciclo de vida era tecida em meio à suavidade das névoas, e assim elas esticaram os dedos de suas raízes se unindo umas às outras entretecidas, e se ampararam com muita firmeza. As samambaias acharam bolsões nos dedos das raízes para se aninhar e o musgo se estendeu sobre o solo e tudo ficou muito macio. As árvores cresceram fazendo padrões de luz e sombra no solo e as trepadeiras espiralaram formando novos desenhos. Aranhas pintadas andavam de uma lado para o outro e de cima para baixo, fazendo teias para colher a bruma, e a bruma se demorava nessas teias em gotas que continham a luz. Tudo era muito muito quieto o tempo todo porque as árvores tinham que estar muito focadas em suas próprias vidas. Não é fácil crescer tanto, e por tanto tempo. Algumas árvores foram ficando cansadas e se deitaram no solo macio; outras se inclinaram e repousaram seu topo numa outra. Crescer é para sempre, elas sussurraram, e quando uma árvore tinha que parar, dela crescia uma outra que alçava grandes alturas no céu cinzento e dourado.
As árvores descansaram e esperaram a bruma voltar para refresca-las.
Elas eram muito muito grandes, mas ainda não tão velhas, pois ainda tinham muito o que crescer.
And here is the link to the page, where the other photography is my own:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Terapia-Floral-Evolutiva/269731396463109?ref=hl
Thank you so much for what you create and share!!
Ruth