Bonsai Holly Tree.

Happy birthday to the Tiny Tuesday Challenge, this week it is one year old and the theme for the day is “celebration”. It’s a tenuous link, but the Holly tree was a symbol of the pagan mid-winter festival long before it was hi-jacked by the Council of Nicaea, in AD 325, as a symbol of Christmas and of the crucifixion. Though why we should use it to represent the crown of thorns escapes me, we have a far better example in the berberis that climbs up our kitchen wall(, thankfully on the outside,) and tries to take my arms off when I tie it back onto its supports every spring; but then it has spent all winter trying to break free from its shackles.
 
A young lad down the road has obviously just had a birthday and was sporting a new Canon when he passed by with his mother. It was the good lady, who we have known for many years, who drew his (and my) attention to the holly tree which is barely three inches tall growing out of our neighbour’s stone wall. He rattled off quite a few shots before moving on to other interesting items attached to garden walls. I think I found a better angle than he did and I also waited until the sun had moved around to a better angle - though I it's always possible that I shall be disappointed in my result if, and when, I see his. The lad is old enough to be let out of an evening and, since he goes to school at the home of our camera club, I might offer to take him there when the season starts after the summer holiday.
 
The TinyTuesday challenge was inaugurated by WalkingWombat who is also hosting it today.