Friday, May 18, 2018

Boughing to the Wonder of Trees

Thought for the day: Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf. [Albert Schweitzer]

[Thanks to Icanhascheezburger.com for permission to use this pic]
Albert Schweitzer was one of my childhood heroes, so it's good to know I have something in common with him.

I love trees. I love them for their beauty, their diversity, their tenacity, and their strength. For the fruit and nuts they provide, the blessed shelter of their shade on a hot day, and for the gift they give us of cleaner air and water.

(ahem) In the spirit of full disclosure, it is, however, possible that I may have said an unkind word or two in the past when raking up a bazillion leaves or stepping on one of those... blessed... weapons, AKA gumballs, littering our front yard. But that's beside the point. I still love trees.They're some of the longest-living and most marvelous wonders in the world.

Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky. [Kahlil Gebran]

Although a gentle breeze rustling through their leaves sometimes sounds suspiciously like laughter, I seriously doubt if trees have a sense of humor. Then again, maybe they do. It'd be perfectly oak-ay if they bark with laughter at us silly people for raking up their leaves, even though it isn't a very poplar job and is sometimes over-elming.

Dogwood trees would make awesome pets, dontcha think? They have a nice bark, but they wooden ever bite.

And maybe redwood trees tell tall tales.

What did the beaver say to the tree? It's been nice gnawing ya.

Oak-ay, I'll stop before I make an ash of myself and yew guys get even sycamore of me and my puns. (Even though you're kinda aspen for it... after all, it's a risk you take whenever you visit my blog.) But let's talk about some amazing trees, shall we? Cedar are lots of things to say about trees that don't include bad puns. (Sorry. Last one.) (What a releaf, huh? Oops... sorry! Oak-kay, I'm done now...)

[image courtesy of seniorark]

Even if they don't have a sense of humor, trees do communicate. When asked how many miles it was to the nearest town, look how the helpful tree in this picture responded.

Okay, so that's a lie. But trees really do communicate. For example, when a willow tree is attacked by webworms, it emits a chemical that warns other willows, which triggers them to produce more tannin so their leaves are harder for those worms to digest, thus protecting them from infestation.


[image courtesy of wikipedia]




Giant sequoias earned that name. Some of them are more than thirty stories tall and greater than 82 feet in diameter.

In 2006, scientists discovered a coast redwood that was 379 feet tall, which they estimated to be 700 to 800 years old. They named it Hyperion, but to this day, they've never revealed its exact location. Why? They're afraid it'd cause such an influx of tourists, it could upset the ecosystem.

So essentially, what may be the tallest tree in the world... is in hiding.

As soon as a redwood is cut down or burned, it sends up a crowd of eager, hopeful shoots, which, if allowed to grow, would in a few decades attain a height of a hundred feet, and the strongest of them would finally become giants as great as the original tree. [John Muir]

[image courtesy of Leonard Chapel]
And redwoods aren't the only ones. From this fallen tree, supine on the forest floor, grow four new trees... living examples of hope and resiliency.

A few minutes ago, every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease. [John Muir]





[image courtesy of wikipedia]
Some bristlewood pines, as shown in the photo above, are believed to be the oldest trees in the world, and at nearly 5000 years old, the one named Methuselah has been deemed the oldest. But in 1964, a grad student, in pursuit of his research project, got permission from the Forestry Department to cut down one of these trees in the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. It turned out that the tree was over 4950 years old, and at the time, Methuselah was only 4803. So sadly, the student not only found the oldest tree in the world; he killed it. The tree was later named Prometheus, and a cross section of its trunk is on display at the park's visitor center... as well at some other research centers around the country.

[credit: Beatriz Verdugo, UA News]
This seven-foot cross section of Prometheus hangs on the wall of the University of Arizona's Laboratory of Tree Ring Research.

Most people know that tree rings reveal the age of a tree, but they also provide information about environmental changes, which is what the student researcher was studying.

You've probably heard that most moss grows on the shadier side of trees, which means in the northern hemisphere, it's more abundant on the northern side of trees, and in the southern hemisphere, on the south. This knowledge can come in handy when someone gets lost in the woods. Also, the tree rings can reveal directional info, as well. I'm not suggesting you fell a tree, but if you look at a stump, the thickest rings will appear on the sunny side of the stump. (i.e. on the southern side in the northern hemisphere, and the northern side in the southern hemisphere.) Then again, you could be like me. Discerning which direction is north doesn't necessarily mean I'd know which way to go.

[image courtesy of seniorark]

That's why I prefer to rely on helpful trees like this one.


(Actually, I rely on Smarticus. That man has an uncanny sense of direction.)



[source: wikipwedia]




Our back yard used to be graced with a gorgeous live oak tree. Our whole family loved that tree.  Unfortunately, it was struck by a mighty bolt of lightning about thirty years ago, and the tree lost.

It was a massive tree, and a fantastic tree for climbing, but it wasn't as huge as this tree. This live oak tree is the famous Angel Oak, located near Charleston, South Carolina.

[source: wikimedia commons]



These gnarly moss-covered trees look positively primordial, don't they? They're antarctic beech trees, mostly native to Chile and Argentina.




[source: wikipedia]


The ta primh temple in Angkor, Cambodia was built in the late 12th to early 13th centuries, and it was later abandoned in the 15th century. As more centuries passed, the jungle crept closer and closer and merged more and more with the buildings. This century, efforts have been made to conserve and restore the temple, but as much as possible, workers are retaining the eerie marriage between buildings and trees.

[source: wikimedia commons]


These windswept trees of New Zealand withstand incredibly strong and inhospitable winds. But they don't give up. Their growth patterns adapt to the conditions.



[source: wikimedia commons]






This amazing tree, dubbed the Tree of Life, lives in Olympic National Park, Washington. It seems to defy the laws of gravity and the all expectations for what a tree needs to survive. But survive it does.



[credit: Leonard Chapel]











As does this one... still clinging to life, against all odds.












[credit: Leonard Chapel]








And this one... growing out the third floor window of an abandoned building.





[credit: Leonard Chapel]












Beauty and strength rising from a rock.








[credit: Leonard Chapel]






How is this even possible?

Must be something akin to sheer determination and a stubborn refusal to give up. If it had a motto, it would be, Where there is life, there is  hope.



[credit: Leonard Chapel]







How about that? Evidently, some trees are music lovers, too. (I sure hope nobody thinks about Chopin that tree down...)



[credit: Leonard Chapel]




Wow! This palm tree is quite the non-conformist. And another example of doggedly rising above adversity. There's evidence of trauma there, but that tree is still standing tall.

Okay, I'm pining to share more pictures with you, but this post is getting too long, so I'd better leaf.

If you share my love of trees, you might enjoy the book Remarkable Trees of the World, by Thomas Parkenham. It's chock full of fascinating information and breathtaking photographs. Best present my big brother ever gave me!








                                   Hey! Whattaya know? Trees DO have a sense of humor!

                                   Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.
                                                        Pssst! May the forest be with you. 

The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity... and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself. [William Blake]

Just a side branch reminder: Every comment you make on my blog this month earns you a chance to win a signed copy of my newest book. Mention it on your blog, and earn another two chances.

{P.S. ALF says the book is... outta this world!)

65 comments:

  1. Fun and informative post. Trees are always impressive in their glory. Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Valerie. I'm glad you liked it.

      You have a wonderful weekend, too. Hugs back atcha.

      Delete
  2. This is the best post I've read in a long while. all posts are good of course, but if you knew how much I love big trees you'd understand. I spent a lot of my childhood up in trees. If I had enough property I'd grow several of the largest trees I could, the tall spreading type for shade and climbing in. Bird nest havens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ahhh! Another tree lover! There's just something about them, isn't there? The big ones take my breath away.

      I spent a lot of time in trees as a child, too. Reading. (No surprise there!) My favorite tree for climbing and reading was a big apple tree at my grandmother's house. Then I could read and eat. :)

      Delete
  3. Have you seen the Banyan tree in Lahaina? This single tree has dropped 16 major trunks & takes up an entire block. Look it up in Wikipedia!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, I haven't seen it in person, but it sure looks amazing in photos. If we ever make it to Hawaii again, we'll have to drag ourselves away from Oahu one day just so we can visit the tree. :)

      Delete
  4. I am a confirmed tree hugger. In the fullness of time I am hoping for an eco-funeral where I will be able to feed a tree.
    Love, love, love them. The Ents were my favourite Tolkein character and I still mourn that the Ent-wives were never found.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not surprised. I kinda pegged you as a fellow tree hugger. :) An eco-funeral sounds like the way to go. (No pun intended...)

      Delete
  5. The tallest tree in the world is hiding, sure must want no junk near its trunk. Or for anyone to commit treeson.

    Sure intreeguing about all the trees. They know how to survive and can spread out in many a weird way. Those lightning bolts seem to win out everywhere though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your comment made me smile. Treeson, huh? :) Good one.

      Delete
  6. I'll hug a tree with you, and I don't even mind raking leaves (too much). It's always nice to go back to PA to see my dad and just revel in the glory of Penn's Woods - Pennsylvania....It's in my blood. And I've climbed and fallen out of plenty of 'em.
    Enjoy your weekend. It's going to be hot here- I need to find a shade tree!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Once upon a time, I enjoyed raking leaves, but as our trees got bigger and my back (and the rest of me) got older, the job's the source of more pain than pleasure.

      I've climbed many trees, but I can't say that I've ever fallen from one. Just lucky, I guess.

      Enjoy your weekend, too!

      Delete
  7. That's fascinating about willow trees warning each other. There are a couple of boats in storage at my marina that have trees growing in their cockpits. It looks cool, but it's also a sad reminder that they've been neglected.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't that cool about the trees communicating with each other? And willows aren't the only ones that do it.

      Trees growing in the abandoned boats, huh? Must be kinda cool to see. I reckon trees will grow just about anywhere they can get a toehold.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the laughs this morning!

    I love how the tallest redwood is in hiding - too funny.

    Listening to the palm fronds of the trees around my house remind me of the sea - so relaxing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome. Laughter's always the best way to start the day.

      Yes, I totally get that about the sound of the palm fronds blowing in the wind reminding you of the sea. I've thought the same before.

      Delete
  9. Every time I rake leaves I try to remember and be thankful for all the shade they gave me all summer! I have large oak trees on either side of my house here and they are beautiful. Even when winter comes and the leaves are gone, their beauty never ceases to amaze me. I love your post today with all the pictures and information. We've got a lot to be thankful for when it comes to trees. Hope you have a fantastic Friday !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I try to remember the shade the big trees provide us whenever I rake leaves, too, but it doesn't always help. :)

      And a fantastic Friday to you, too.

      Delete
  10. I'm dying over here, at the expression on that sloth's face! These tidbits and images are so fascinating; certainly I learn more visiting your blog than I did throughout high school. If I had to pick a favorite it would be "against all odds." Happy Friday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You like that sloth, huh? I think he's my spirit animal... :)

      I'm glad you enjoyed the post. It's hard to believe that "against all odds" tree can continue to live with its roots exposed like that.

      Happy Friday to you, too!

      Delete
  11. Those are some amazing photos. We are lucky to be surrounded by trees, even though this is a residential neighborhood. I just wish someone could train our arbutus to not be so enthusiastic in shedding stuff ... all year long except the winter months when we are not using our deck. The white "blossom" is coming to an end and we are into the gritty dark pollen coating the deck like sticky black pepper. Soon it will be leaves, and maybe strips of bark if it's a hot summer ... *sigh*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. HA! Yeah, some trees are a little more enthusiastic than others when it comes to "sharing" with us. We had a silver maple when we lived in Maryland that "shared" fluffy balls of stuff that looked like cotton candy. As annoying as they were, they were tons better than the bazillion gum balls all over our yard. Those things HURT!

      Delete
  12. And Alf would indeed be the best judge of that.

    ReplyDelete
  13. It's ironic that yesterday I was doing some research about trees and became enthralled while looking at online tree photos. Trees are absolutely fascinating and as diverse as humans.
    I've never seen a tree that I didn't like (...Unfortunately, I can't say the same for people....)

    By the way - I definitely think trees have a sense of humor. When I lived in Texas my neighbors had several HUGE trees. At the onset of winter EVERY ONE of the leaves would blow directly into my yard and I had to spend days (sometimes weeks) raking them up - - and my neighbors yard was always completely leaf-free.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How about that? Great minds really do think alike, eh?

      HA! I remember you writing about those trees when you were living in Texas. Maybe they DO have a sense of humor...

      Delete
  14. I live not far from Sherwood Forest, the site of the Major Oak, where Robin Hood was supposed to have hidden. I've seen it and it doesn't look big enough but it's a good story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How cool! I spoke via ham radio to a fella who was at Sherwood Forest. He was camping there with a group of Boy Scouts, and he called himself... Little John. :)

      Delete
  15. I love your puns (you couldn’t help yourself) and I like everything in this post. William Blake’s quote, “But to the eyes of a man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.” Mother Nature has been ferocious lately and I think she unhappy with the way we are caring for our beautiful planet. We need to do better.

    I have been having a rough few months and so many things are not getting done. I am so sorry that I forgot to tag you ( now that you told me how) but will do it today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank yew. No... I couldn't help myself. :)

      Yeah, you're right. Mother Nature has been on quite the rampage lately. (You don't think it's menopause, do ya?)

      Sorry you're going through a rough patch. I'm sending lots of good thoughts your way. Have a super weekend.

      Delete
  16. Alf!
    He cut down the oldest tree in the park - what are the odds?
    Trees have the potential to live forever. Wild, huh?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, ALF! (We still have every episode of that show. Sure, so it's on VHS, but still...)

      Right? I almost feel sorry for the dude. The park service begged people to find an older tree after that to get them off the hook for giving permission to cut it down, but as far as I know, an older one was never found.

      Delete
  17. "Albert Schweitzer was one of my childhood heroes..."

    I picture him as an elderly scientist shuffling around in a laboratory! :)

    What made him your hero?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gee, thanks for asking. Schweitzer was a theologian with an uplifting reverence for life, and he was also a Nobel prize-winning humanitarian who became a doctor later in life and built hospitals in Africa to provide medical care in areas that had never been served before. Besides Schweitzer, Tom Dooley was another of my childhood heroes. Not the hang-down-your-head dude, but the humanitarian doctor who provided medical care in impoverished areas of Southeast Asia. Yeah, I was a weird kid. :)

      Delete
  18. What a fascinating post Susan. I love trees too, but maybe not as much as you obviously do. I get very sad when people cut them down. Some of those pix you have are absolutely incredible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jo. I'm glad you liked it. :)

      Delete
    2. Hoping to add an old British tree pic to my blog tomorrow, just for you LOL.

      Delete
  19. Love this post.
    Trees are so wonderful and as always you have made a wonderful post from them.
    I am going to look for that book !

    cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. I'm glad you like it.

      I hope you find the book. It's awesome!

      Cheers back atcha.

      Delete
  20. This fellow tree lover loved your post!

    Did you ever visit the Banyan tree at Legoland in Winter Haven? I take pictures of it every time we go there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks. Good to know how many tree lovers are around. :)

      No, I've never been to Legoland in Winter Haven, but I've seen pictures of it... on your blog!

      Delete
  21. Replies
    1. Um... the same to you? Thanks for stopping by, mystery dude.

      Delete
  22. So much enjoyed your tree journey, friend Sue ... not much here where I live ... some spruce and some poplar and that's it ... but they are greening and that'd nice ... just came back from Vancouver Island ... They have Oak, and Birch, and Chestnut and Cherry and Apple and Rhododendron ... met my son Paul and Daughter in law Leanne and cat Benny on the island around Mother's Day ... They are travelling North America by van for a year ... anyway ... ya ... tears ... @paulleanneandavan ... mom was right when she said: Let them go ... anyway ... Love, cat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it, cat, and... welcome back! I hope you had a fantabulous time with your son and DiL. (Oh yeah... and Benny, too!)

      Yeah, it's sometimes hard to let them go, isn't it? But it's great that you were able to meet up with your adventurous duo. I suspect your son got some of his adventurous spirit from his mother. :)

      Delete
    2. ... still skimming stones and exchanging promise rings ... and no, the pic is not of me ... it's of soulmate Reena and her son Enzo from way back when ... Love, cat. PS: Son Paul tells me that they might not return to the prairies any time soon and maybe never ... ya ...

      Delete
    3. Darn. Well, I still like to think the picture COULD have been you. It's awesome. I hope you two are still friends.

      Wow, your son must love the adventure of the open road, eh? What a way to see the country! Good for him... maybe not so good for you.

      Delete
  23. I loved these tree photos. Awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I probably don't have to tell anyone I am a tree fan! Amazing entities, and the more we learn, the better they reveal themselves to be. So looking forward to getting some land and planting LOTS :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're right. I'm sure trees have much more to teach us than we can even imagine.

      Delete
  25. Ooh, love learning all these tid-bits about trees. So fascinating. Those puns were a lot of fun, too! :P

    So sad about the oldest tree being cut down, though...awww. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How sweet. Most people don't refer to my puns as fun. :)

      Delete
  26. Hi Susan - took me a few growth rings to get here ... but I made it - actually I probably couldn't find my way out of the forests here or through the collopsed trees with burgeoning 'weeds' (brambles, nettles - which I gather sting more than English ones!, burdock et al) growing where there be sunlight bucking the trend and getting through the rich dark growth.

    Trees are amazing aren't they ... and you've made us all have lots of fun reading this ... trees offer so much life to other living things ... our English oak looks after at least 200 living organisms ...

    I'm more educated as I start my short Canadian week ... I'm glad Smarticus is around to guide you home! Cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi-ya, Hilary.

      You paint a good picture of the overgrowth in the forests around you. Sounds like the woods where I used to play as a child. Needless to say, my legs were always scratched up from getting tangled in the brambles. (Never kept me out of them, though!)

      Thanks. I'm glad Smarticus is here to guide me home, too. Otherwise, I might be wandering lost and alone in the world, and in more ways than one.

      Cheers back atcha!

      Delete
  27. It seems that most of your readers are tree-lovers; me too! I'm pretty good at recognising trees as long as they still have their leaves on the branches.
    There is a country park near here with an avenue of Giant Redwoods that were planted mid nineteenth century. They have a weird soft,spongy bark that is actually fire-proof. Also in this area is a very old oak where Charles I is supposed to have hidden from Cromwell's troops and a pub called The Kings Head.
    Love trees and love puns so a very enjoyable post for me!
    CLICK HERE for Bazza’s comely Blog ‘To Discover Ice’

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me, too. It's a lot easier to identify trees when they have their leaves, unless their bark and shape are especially unique. (That's oak-ay; trees probably think we all look alike in the nude, too...)

      Delete
  28. Greetings Susan. I enjoyed reading your post, very humorous. I love trees and have recently wrote an article on them called 'Conscious To The Unconscious'. Blessings to you. Love love, Andrew.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Greetings, Andrew. It's good to hear from you again. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

      Blessings back atcha.

      Delete
  29. I am a tree lover too. Great post! I enjoyed the fun information here especially about the oldest and tallest trees--so fascinating! Hope you have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cool! I love that there are so many tree lovers around here!

      I'm glad you enjoyed the post, and you have a great week, too. :)

      Delete
  30. Those were some awesome puns and amazing tree stories. What a delightful post. Grade A!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Wonderful trees! I love the trees growing off the dead one.
    We have Meetings with Remarkable Trees by Thomas Pakenham.

    ReplyDelete