This post is being brought back to the top for the 42nd edition of the Festival of the Trees . It is being hosted this month by Dave Bonta at Via Negativa, a writer's eclectic blog. It is a wonderful post with contributions and links from around the world.
The Festival of the Trees is a monthly blog carnival on all things trees. Anyone is welcome to contribute. You could consider it as a monthly Garden Bloggers Tree Day, just like Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. Temperate climate gardeners wouldn't have to feel so bad in the winter if they did a monthly post for the Festival of the Trees.
Now go spend some time with the trees.
A tree falls in the forest all the time. I often hear that sad final moan when a giant returns to the earth amid the constant daily chatter in the treetops. I may hear it, but finding the fresh kill on ground crisscrossed and littered with wooden carcasses can be a difficult task. Direction is all there is to go on at first. Then you must find the evidence of fresh wounds or new disturbance among the shattered and jagged remains of the long fallen.
I did not wake up to a snow covered world. The light flurries did not amount to much or stick well. They were accompanied by the usual rip roaring wind that continues to linger. The sun was out all day, but this was a day for laundry and loafing. It is bitter out there when a cold wind blows.
The wind was busy. When I hear the next tree slump to the ground I will know where to look first.
This is a situation of some concern. This now badly split Black Locust tree is perilously close to and leaning in the direction of the newly pruned apple tree. It is still on my list of chores to further thin the remaining canopy of the apple to encourage some full sized apples for next fall.
I don't think I want to go anywhere near there.
Black Locust, Robinia pseudoacacia has an extremely dense hard wood that is very resistant to decay. It is a testament to the strength of this wood that the sheer weight of the crown has not caused the top to crash to the ground already in the ongoing wind.
Down at my place along the drive is a Black Locust with a split trunk starting at about five feet off the ground. The tree is a good sixty feet tall. It has been many years since that trunk split and it is still standing. It is two trees now.
This newly split tree could remain intact for the next twenty years or a hummingbird could alight on it and bring the whole thing crashing down. Without a budget for major tree work living in the forest does have its risks. You just have to hope sometimes that nature is on your side.
Fortunately this tree is not close to the house. I think it would be good though for it to come down this winter before Bulbarella returns in the spring to putter in the sunniest part of her wild cultivated garden.
Will the apple tree be crushed? Will the locust hang in there for the duration? Is half a head better or none? What was the creaking noise I heard? Tune in for the next episode of a bitter cold and blustery wind to find out.
As the trees turn.
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8 comments:
I wish there was a way to capture that particular shade of blue in your photos. It is a magnificent color!
Sallysmom
Yes, our 0.9 acre lot has about 30 mature trees and over 25 years we have had a windshield smashed, 3 large trees fall in between house and shed and across driveway, and our jetski barely missed by a huge limb, but so far no 2 or 4 legged casualties. It is worrisome however to look up and see large dead limbs. Often they fall when there is no wind at all. One must just trust to the tree gods (and statistics - ?)
Glad your world wasn't white this a.m.
bev
Glad you didn't have to tramp through the white stuff today. Yes, a day to take it easy.
How is your leg doing?
Those kind of trees worry me. I wouldn't go near it either. Hopefully if it does decide to travel downward it won't mangle your apple tree. I sure will be waiting to see how big the apples get next Fall.
I have a double trunk oak in my back yard very close to my house & my shed. One side could take the shed & the other side could do considerable damage to my house. So I just put my trust in the Lord & hope it doesn't do anything.
I have been told that if you love trees they won't fall on your house.
Chris, that is SCARY BAD. EEKKKS... I would stay away from it. Had to remove a couple of deteriating trees at my Colwater house because they were too close to the buildings. Know anyone with a chain saw and tree climbing equiptment and experience? They could take out the broken portion and leave the rest and the tree would probably heal and be okay. Or maybe the Winter winds will finish the job. Oh well, Life does have its unexpected adventures. Is this your second Winter in the mountains since you came back from Hawaii?
Yikes! Yes, that has to come down before faire Bulbarella returns to sunny puttering! Ropes and tugging? I would love to have some black locust with which to build some trellises and other goodies, but fear for the safety of you and yours. Don't know that the wind will do the job for you either.
Frances
Sallysmom maybe that blue could be found in a glass tile.
Bev last winter the big blue pot in the garden was just missed twice. Of course there is a constant rain of twigs, branches and small logs. Right now there is a big busted limb hanging over the driveway so I have to be sure to pull all the way in. In some ways I think it is just a matter of time before some damage is done.
Lola the leg is back to normal. I hope the tree comes down before my folks return. I can clean up the mess and save them some money. A big oak trunk fell on their house in Orange Park many years ago. The closed in porch roof is still dented because the building contractor does not trust anyone else to do the work and well he is getting older.
Lisa I love love trees!!
Patrick I am hoping the next gale force winter winds take it down. With the normal direction they come from it could send the bulk of it over the fence. This will be my third winter. It is off to a slower start than the second one.
Frances that wind is mighty fierce. Last year it totally twisted and snapped the top of an even fatter black locust next door. When it comes down bring some muscle and a chain saw with extra chains and its all yours.
I came via the tree festival...We had a major ice storm here in WNY and 80% of the trees were lost or damaged. It was then that we learned how important they are. We had to have an arborist come in to trim and cable those trees near the house that we didn't want to have taken down...Michelle
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