A Tree is Named
Three people on snowshoes traverse the hillside. Their path approaches then skirts the base of a tree. The leader pauses, caresses the bark with her leather mitt, and kisses it.
“This tree needs a name,” says Annie M., second in line.
“What do you suggest?”
“Matteo,” pipes up Jenn from the rear.
“Is that Italian for Matthew? Spanish?”
“Both?”
“How do you spell it?”
“M-a-t-t-e-o.”
“How did you choose Matteo?”
“I first heard it in Spain and loved it.”
“How will we find him again?”
“Well, there’s M5 [a Morningside mainline] just a few yards away. And M5 changes direction here, it turns downhill.”
“Matteo is a fine tree,” says Chops the next day. “Straight and true.”
“I don’t see old tap holes.”
“It’s a growing tree; it’s healing well.”
“Shall I mark him with the red yarn I brought up?”
“The crew uses red tape to mark problem areas, so it’s not a good idea. Plus, it would litter the woods.”
“OK.”
Matteo takes its place on the map along with Bertha, Jug Handle, The Hillbillies, The Foreman, and so many others.
Jenn writes: “Matteo is lovely name that seems to have a somewhat cheeky personality. Perfect name for a clay cat that watches over the shop, and for two trees that probably know how magnificent they look.”
photo]
Also from my inbox today, here is one example of myriad attempts to write about trees.
Between heaven and earth,
between mankind and the stars,
lies the kingdom of trees;
between that which gives us food, housing and work on the one hand
and that which is incomprehensible
and unaccountable on the other.
–Trees in the History of Civilization
The Nebraska Knoll Blog 
Ahhh
The personhood of trees
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confused but maybe just tired. Matteo/Mateo was named today and Jenn wrote from Cuba earlier. What is the timeline for tree be cat naming…or maybe it’s supposed to read like it happened today and yesteryear all at once. Lovely post. Tree is beautiful. G’night :).
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Hi Bea, Thanks. The writer chose to use the present tense. Yes, there are two spellings. The photo offers a few clues re the timing: The snowshoe path leads directly to Matteo, made by the tapper who visited each tree. The snow ringing the base of the tree has not yet melted out, as will occur with yet-to-come thaws. The quality of the light belongs to late February/early March. AC
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A photo of another crazy tree seems to have taken precedence over the sprawling sandy beaches of Cuba. The name Confucius has popped into my head. I’m thinking I latched onto that name not because the tree looks old and wise but rather old and confused. It obviously has no intention of growing straight and true like Matteo. It may never get the respect and admiration of the perfectly shaped Matteos in this world, but its carefree stature is so intriguing. Lew Coty
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Matteo is a beautiful tree. The tree brought to mind Jonathan Swift and a tree. The tree said something or maybe it was just sounds of leaves brushing against each other.
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