AN ODE TO A TREE

Well, the deed is done, the beautiful beech tree at the top of our farm has been felled. For maybe 150 years it has grown and become part of the landscape, overlooking our farm and the valley. In just two days it has been reduced to a stump. It was diseased, had to come down, but as you can probably tell, I feel sad and rather guilty about ending it's life, especially in such a brutal manner. Had it not been so close to a road we would have left it to nature.  Now there is just a huge void where it stood. The buzzards who have always used it as their lookout perch will have to find another high place - I hope they don't go too far away. Amazing to think of everything that this tree has witnessed.

Before

During

I was hoping to be able to make a picnic table, with seats, in a very rustic kind of fashion, but apparently the wood will quickly rot away - heck, I'm still going to do it ... I'll put cuprinol on it!   This event has led me to reading poems and Odes to trees and I have added a couple here.  Now I need to blow my nose and have a stiff drink!

End of day one

Gone

View of the farm from the top of the tree - I wasn't holding the camera!

An Ode to a Tree
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

~ Joyce Kilmer, "Trees," 1914 ~  

Think Like a Tree

by Karen I. Shragg

Soak up the sun
Affirm life's magic
Be graceful in the wind
Stand tall after a storm
Feel refreshed after it rains
Grow strong without notice
Be prepared for each season
Provide shelter to strangers
Hang tough through a cold spell
Emerge renewed at the first signs of spring
Stay deeply rooted while reaching for the sky
Be still long enough to
hear your own leaves rustling.

Some hours later .... not believing this state of mind to be healthy, I phoned our neighbours to invite them for a spur of the moment 'toast' to the tree, to celebrate it's long life, with a glass of red, round the bonfire that the tree surgeons had left burning away in the darkness,  they readily accepted..  of course, we know our neighbours well - they're a good bunch... even brought the crisps and nibbles with them.  Negotiating styles and climbing fences in pitch black not a problem, working our way through the debris of tree felling perhaps a little more tricky, but fun was had by all and we finished up the evening sharing a very lovely chinese meal. Good old tree!! Bless her!