I went on a short walk this evening, enjoying the warmth and watching the snow melt trickling in the ditch along side my driveway. There are quite a few downed trees this spring. Some of them are big and old: these mostly fall leaving a stump of several feet and others breaking much higher, with a “half tree” of rotted wood still standing. I like to think both the fallen part and that which is left both nourish. There was an owl nest in one very tall remnant, for ages….until even the remnant keeled over at last.

Some of the trees which have fallen over have such a small diameter I surmise they are not old at all. Some fall in parts, separate sections along a line which ends/begins in that stump.

No big thoughts here, just sort of thinking about tree death and all life/death occurring in the young, middle, and later years. Heather and I looked out with Dad at what I call “the loop” of the driveway today. Still too early for green, nevertheless there is promise for us when we ponder the trees on the inside of the circular driveway. Heather pointed out that quite a few of the trees are dead. There has been a steady culling of trees near the house over the past years: Heather told of holding this rope and that to keep the top from falling on the house, and working with this and that person. I remember other people. But always it seems there were many, toiling for hours to kindly remove those trees which had reached the end….

Some of the trees ended up in the sauna, fueling another hot Sunday night. Others were the sort of wood one wishes to use wisely, but knows doesn’t burn hot enough.

I saw a spruce tree, almost denuded on the south side of bark. Heather said the woodpeckers love that tree. Ah yes, it IS dead, isn’t it? And so close to the house. Don’t tell the fire department because the kids have often been very concerned about “the zone” of protective space around that log house, but removing all the trees to keep it safe almost kills the soul of our hillside home.

Dad listened in as we three–Heather, Niilo, Chena–looked out on the north side of the house and discussed the changes (and the sames). No comment. To Heather and me, I think the continuity has deep meaning. We have helped build and take on more responsibility. Now the changes of stewardship are more pressing, but we have need to look back and listen to what Dad and Mom have done.

Then we went into the house to prepare supper. June’s stunning fish pie looked like a work of art and I thought how wonderful of her to make it for Dad and the family. Thank you so much.

But I haven’t even talked of how I started the day. Nancy Davidian went over early to help Heather and so I came a little later. Isn’t Nancy divine?! Yes, and I was all business getting laundry sorted and whatnot. Nancy seemed NOT nonplussed by everything and I was secretly so happy she is my new neighbor (20 or something miles away from the Ridge). She and Chris have recently purchased and are continuing on a homestead nearby me, worked I think mostly in hay in the past, but on to new things with Nancy and Chris. I wish them luck (and am excited by their endeavor) and maybe Gary and I can even help somehow in the coming years, as they develop a Community Supported Agriculture site (so rumor has it) and other good things. Dad would be so pleased. Farming was one of the zillion things he would have loved to do even better and fuller had he been 20 people.

Lots in between. Sure hope Heather posts to let you know how Dad was doing and whatnot. Thanks all of you for being such a caring community. Oh, and the trees should be greening up soon: don’t they do it every single year?

–Chena