Essays & Other Prose at the Treetops Studios

Treetops   John's mother was a resident in the extended care unit at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital from the beginning of 1992 until her death in the fall of 1994. After her death both John and Elaine joined the SPH Volunteers. These short pieces were written in the mid-1990's for the Volunteers' Newsletter. They were designed to be read to or by residents. Therefore, they are short, speakable and call up a visual image. They are also unashamedly nostalgic and pastoral.

Looking back, this series of stories is also the first use of the name 'Treetops' in its current sense, as the name of our Studio, in 1995, one year after we arrived in Saanichton.

Neither John nor Elaine feel any great need for anonymity. But, as we were both very active in SPH at the time, John suspected that an image of the author might come between the reader and the story. Therefore, the stories were originally printed without any names or attribution except the signature block 'Treetops'.    Top

Tall Tales   Now that I have you here, I'll let you know that I don't really mean 'Tall Tales'. I mean, and with not a hint of fear or shame in my typing, 'Shaggy Dog Stories'. In this age of microbits and nanoseconds, if I said the "S*D*S*" words almost nobody would click on the links below.

The Tall Tale heading just lets me warn you that I am going to stretch your imagination. The Shaggy Dog Story warns you that in addition to stretching your imagination, I am going to stretch your patience, and make you love it too - or maybe just groan. I'm delighted in either case. Because, for several minutes I am going to play upon your interest and patience, all just to set you up for a terrible pun or other twist of meaning.    Top