Number one, the birch

The silver birch, along with the pine and the oak, is my favourite tree. Birches are a characteristic feature of the Jeziorki landscape. This tree speaks directly to my soul. By coincidence, my aunt, Ciocia Dziunia, has a painting of a group of birch trees in her Wroclaw living room (painted by her son-in-law, Marek), while my brother, also Marek, has a painted himself a large reproduction of Gustav Klimt's Farmhouse with Birch Trees, which hangs in his Derbyshire living room. (Above:) Local silver birches found on ul. Dumki (left and centre) and on ul Trombity (pictured right, at sunset). As can be seen from the first two pictures, taken today, summer greenery still prevails; I'm still awaiting the first intimations of autumn.

(Below:) Earlier this month, Eddie and I drove out towards the Belarusian border, by the River Bug. Near the town of Kodeń, I photographed this magnificent forest full of silver birches.