Trees are the ultimate story tellers.
Hidden between their rings of time are tales of: injury, drought, hardship, growth, peace, insect invasions and forest fires.
Dendrochronology, the study and interpretation of tree rings can tell us everything we need to know about a tree's history.
When I came across this fallen tree I couldn't help stopping to count its rings.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered it is about the same age as I am;
Middle age for me, but quite young for a tree.
Its bark,
A roadmap of life,
Filled with light and dark, highs and lows,
Reflects a beauty that comes with time and age.
The tree's stump tells us the final part of this story.
You can see why it had to be cut down...
It remains in the ground,
a marker for a tree that held this spot for fifty-some years.
ja als bomen konden praten,gelukkig kunnen wij hier ook veel vam leren.
ReplyDeleteTo smutne patrzeć na wycięte drzewo, ale dla tego już chyba nie było ratunku. Pozdrawiam.
ReplyDeleteIt's sad to see the tree cut down, but for now I do not think this was a rescue. Yours.
I never realized there was so much information stored inside trees. Dendrochronology sounds like an interesting field of study. Great job capturing the detail of the rings. Hope you have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteGood photo's...... i like that first one very much.
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Joop
I love that tree, Rosemary, for its story of life, yes, but also for its potential to contribute to another life. That hollowed-out center would make a perfect spot to grow a fern or some other perennial. How beautiful and natural it would be. I have a couple of stumperies, as they're called, but I'd pay money for that one.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots of the tree. It has started me on course to one of my favourite trees.
ReplyDeleteGreat photos and words as always!
ReplyDeleteThat tree is wonderful even in its death and decay. Did you try to imagine what it looked like at the 10th ring when you were about 10? Or the twentieth when you were a young adult? Or forty five? A record of a life, and a beautiful sculpture all by itself.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos! I love your take on the rings. You are so right.
ReplyDeletejust like with us its not the lightning that is most likely to take us down but the rot that comes from inside....it eats away as one lookds perfectly nornal from the outside until one day!.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had chosen dendrochronology as a career! I love how you can tell dry and wet years by the width of the rings.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos and accompanying words as usual, thanks Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteAre you sure there is 52 rings and not more :)
ReplyDeleteYou are still young Rosemary, and beautiful!
Very nice shots and intelligent analogy.
Have a beautiful weekend!
Hello Rosemary - I love your description of the tree ...... really good post. Wish you a good weekend :) Hanne Bente
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of the tree Rosemary, real shame that he had to be felled.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend.
Greetings Irma
Hello Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteMy heart cries when the storm breaks and the trees should be cut.
Beautiful photos.
I send greetings.
Lucia
Hello Rosemary!
ReplyDeleteI agree, trees have their way to tell us their story, unfortunately to do so they have to be cut down!
Strange like the first pics tells us that this one started out with 2 roots or 2 shoots and became one several year later!
Very interesting!
Cheers and keep well!
Nice photos and good story:) is always with some thoughts about how long a tree have been growing when you need to cut it down ,and if one could read the memory of a tree!!
ReplyDeleteWhat causes a tree's heartwood to rot like that? I agree with Lee, that stump would make a beautiful planter!
ReplyDeleteTrees have a lot of information inside of them. Great pictures, Rosemary. Happy weekend!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures of the tree Rosemary, real shame that he had to be felled.
ReplyDeletehappy weekend !!!
Greetings Annie
http://anniezon.blogspot.nl/
Old trees are something that intrigue me. We have one in our yard that I'm sure is very old and I wonder about the stories it could tell....
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, especially the first one.
ReplyDeleteAww, how sad to see that the tree had to be cut down. I never knew that we could gauge so much about a tree's history from its rings, stem and barks. Very interesting but I wish the tree could have stayed longer in there. Spectacular pictures as always, Rosemary. Wish you a wonderful day :)
ReplyDeleteRosemary, I agree, trees could tell us many interesting things. But they grow get sick and die, as people. When I see the cut ill tree I think about the young ones growing around it. Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteTexture of trees are great subjects to photograph! Thank you for the explication about Dendrochronology!
ReplyDeleteciao ciao
Dany
Trees are part of life rn at eht life belong trees. Very nice as you cycle in this image have been. Pity that this tree had to be felled but like you said, it is easy to see why he had to be felled.
ReplyDeleteA lovely and sensible post ! I love trees ( and anything nature ) and often mechanically wonder about their age, almost like when you meet a new person :-) There is something really fascinating about how old some trees can get and how their rings tell the story ...think about olive trees that can get hundreds and hundreds of years old !
ReplyDeleteI have always loved bark and trunks. They are so interesting. You captured all that beauty in these photos...wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love trees...they really do tell stories don't they? I hope you had a good St. Patrick's Day!!
ReplyDeleteI wonder what's the oldest tree in the world :)
ReplyDeletenatural passport))
ReplyDeletehave a great week!
xoxo, Juliana | PJ’ Happies :) | PJ’ Ecoproject
Hello there!!!! I haven't forgotten you:) Just been so busy here. It's crazy. I took a day to just shutdown and relax and it's WONDERFUL!!! I love tree rings. Imagine if you could go back in time to be a part of the time each ring was created.....
ReplyDeleteRosemary, What a nice reminder that trees record history- the lean years with no rain and the good years that permit abundant growth.
ReplyDeleteYes Rosemary which is a desire of mine was ..... right on the way and in large numbers. I hope the voles have not eaten ....greets Erwin...have a nice day
ReplyDelete