Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The Leaning Tree

The shafts of early morning sunlight, spilled across the golden fields of ripening barley.  I stood, as I have always done, in the early mornings, against the old Oak tree, that marks the edge of our little piece of Heaven.  Tomorrow it would be gone, just so much  green oak timber. Cut down by the relentless power of some woodsman's chainsaw.  I first stood here, when  we moved into the cottage, a little over  fourteen years ago.  On that day, it had been raining, dark clouds had scudded across the  brooding sky. It had been late  Autumn.

Now it was late July. For days now we had seen, and heard the effects of the chainsaw`s efforts.   At first the noise, that high pitched screaming noise, followed by the crash of tree against tree, as another of Mother nature`s wonders came crashing to earth.  Then little by little, more and more sky, each day a little more.

It was almost two years ago when the men came, I watched that day as they sprayed little orange dots on certain tree`s,  selecting those for execution. And now it was happening.  Tomorrow, my leaning tree would be gone. No more relaxing in the early morning light, after a long night shift, with that ubiquitous cup of coffee. No more, the feel of that hard rough bark against my back, no more.

The leaning tree, a huge Oak tree of many years growth,  older than anyone I know, older than many things. I did measure its diameter one winters day,  I was surprised, it was just over four feet.  How long had this tree been around? Probably over two hundred years, long enough to see the armies of Bonnie Prince Charlie pass by, what stories it could tell.

I would`nt be around when they felled this tree,  I had decided I would be elsewhere.

8 comments:

  1. I think we all have special trees in our lives ....for whatever reason ....I sure dont blame you for not being there when it fell ....why are they being felled?? ......plant another!
    ....and I love the new header ...very cowboy!!!!

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    1. The tree`s are being felled for their wood. Oak is at a premium just now. Yes, the new header is pretty good. Cheers.

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  2. I wouldn't want to watch it felled either.

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    1. I didnt. But this morning it has come down. Very sad.

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  3. Oh that's sad. All those years. Hope they plant some more.

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    1. Hi Denise, they probably will, but it will take some years before it matures, I will be long gone!

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  4. Oh so sad when they cut them old trees down, but new ones will come. We have 2 oak trees in our yard probly 70 years old and they would not even make a 2x6 they are just too small around yet

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  5. Oh So sad Indeed. Love The Light But Miss The History Of The Old Tree. You Described It Well, They Really Saw Much Of Life Before Us.

    I Was At My Stable This Spring,During The UtterLy Terrible
    SoundingThud, Over And
    Over...They All Fell Down, Huge Fir Trees.
    I've Waited To Post...Withing For Something Good To Come Of It

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