Friday, April 29, 2011

Friday Ramble - Farewell to An Old Friend

One of my favorite old trees tumbled to the ground in yesterday afternoon's gale, and this may be the last photo ever taken of her. Tree was well over a hundred years old at the time of her passing and several feet in circumference.  In her descent, she took along a wide swath of hedgerow, several antique roses and a stretch of fencing.  The earth trembled as she came to rest in the garden.

I am sad.  Maple was the first wise being I saw in the morning when I pulled the draperies open, and she was the first wise entity I greeted - we had been friends for many years.  There was elemental grace and dignity in every hallowed curve and twig of her, an almost timeless sense of peace and stalwart tranquility.  She was a favored perching place for crows, falcons, squirrels and raccoons, and we are, all of us, going to miss her very much.

7 comments:

Rain Trueax said...

I always hate to lose a tree even when it's one that isn't so prominent in my landscape. Along the creek they go down frequently and it sometimes is with a mighty crash and no wind. In the desert we lost two ironwood on our property, one very old and in a very important place where I loved what it offered for shade and view. I tried everything I could do to prevent their demise but something wasn't right and they just withered away. I guess a mighty crash is more of an emotional testament at least.

Guy said...

That is a loss. A tree like that can form such an important
part of your personal space and really anchor both your physical and emotional landscape.

Guy

Mystic Meandering said...

Like old Druids we hate to see the demise of our beloved trees... I love that you wrote of her so personally, especially "the earth trembled as she came to rest in the garden", as if earth knew of her passing and quivered, as we all do when we lose a part of ourselves...

Whispers of peace to your heart...
Christine

Shell said...

I understand how you feel. There is a grove that I love to go to. Half of my Tree friends have fallen due to all the intense storms we had here in NYC. Now, when I go. It makes me sad that so many have gone. Only there stumps remain.

bev said...

It is sad to lose a great old tree, but I always try to remind myself that, left to rest, they become the basis of so much new life. - bev

Ontario Wanderer said...

Always sad to loose a special tree. We have many down this past winter and early spring but none terribly special and all will warm us in the fireplace in the future.

Anonymous said...

a beautifully expressed appreciation of your old friend. thanks for sharing.