A beautiful old white birch tree, the last of three in a grouped planting, finally succumbed. It was at the end of our drive, and a landmark in the area. And, right under the utility line, in their easement. I have known this beautiful tree for 40 years. Asplund, at the behest of the local utility, cut it down 2 or 3 weeks ago, on a cold, rainy Tuesday morning. Fortunately, I was at home, and paying attention on this cold, rainy morning. "Please leave the wood?" "How long?" "How about fireplace length?" Finished splitting her up this morning. Two splitting axes, sledge, and three wedges. Incredibly tough to split, full of waves, knots, and crotches, strings held on through the last inch.. About as difficult as I've seen, in a long career. 10% rot, and a 7 year supply of the absolute best fire starters. A sad day.
It's a beautiful thing, isn't it? And as much as I liked the tree, we'll have a beautiful little garden bed in that space. With a large planter on top of the stump, until it rots into the soil. I'll still miss it.
Ever since the 80's, I admired a huge white pine tree along the route to work and back. After the children were born and old enough, I told them "That is Dad's tree" The tree was tall straight and huge. Way taller than any other trees in the same area. Over the next few decades, with life changes, I lost track of it until one summer, maybe 6-7 years ago, driving through the area I noticed it was cut down. Just lying there. No apparent damage from disease, lightning, nutrition..... I couldn't figure out why it was dropped. Only thing that could have been a factor is it's location near a power line and/or highway. It's collapse would have shut down either. It must have pained that sawyer to cut such a beautiful specimen. Checking back on it this past summer, it was apparent that someone dragged out a couple lengths of the tree; I'm thinking for one of those sawmills. At least someone got some use from it.
Right now I'm processing a white pine that I used to climb in as a kid. Fell out of it too. It was struck by lightning and split. I counted the growth rings on the stump and found that it was about the same age as me.
Yes, sometimes there are certain trees that really make you sad when they go, but nature still rules. In our case, we had a beautiful old beech tree; perhaps the largest one I'd ever seen. It finally died. We also had the biggest white birch I'd ever seen. Sadly, that is gone now too.
All told, I am thrilled to have the firewood, fire starters, and extra space for more appropriately sized trees and garden. It sort of reminded me of that green book, by Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree. If you haven't read it, give it a read, it's an wonderful children's story, rich with a melancholic adult theme about the relationship between parents and their children.
