Another Tree I would love to meet is the Southern Live Oak. To be in the presence of Her grand, graceful Branches spreading lovingly out from an immense short Trunk, draped in Spanish Moss and green with Leaves... well, if you love Trees, don't pass up the chance to meet one of the big ones.
She is unique for large (or even small!) Trees. Her wide Trunk branches out close to the ground into many massive, grand Branches- well, that is not unusual. But while they grow 'only' about 50-65 feet tall or so, they spread out well over 100 feet across- sometimes to 140 or perhaps even 150 feet!!!
I know of no other Tree like these grand, graceful spreading Trees.
It seems to me that this unique, gorgeous shape also helps them survive the many hurricanes they would live through- certainly they survive hurricanes very well!
Beauty and strength- breathtaking grand beauty!
Look up pictures of them- and if you're in the area (the South near the coast) go and meet one!
Have fun!
David S. Annderson
For more on great Trees view or download (for free as a text (.txt) file!) Life in the Temperate Rainforest on my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
Have fun and if you love Trees Hug them!!!
Friday, August 8, 2014
More love for big Maples!
Some time ago I found a website where a person described how they had begun to appreciate the huge Silver Maples in their community for their shade under the hot Prairie Summer Sun- even though they had always disliked (rarely for a Tree) Silver Maples.
How can anyone not love Silver Maples!
I had long fallen in love with big Maples, and the Silver Maple has everything I love about big Maples- those magnificent soft, rugged, warm, ragged-but-right, practically mythic Trunks!
How I would love to be in the presence of those magnificent soft, rugged, grand, magnificently strong Trunks! And Branches!
Each species of big Maple- indeed, each magnificent individual- is unique, and all of them have these magnificent Trunks, but in different ways- Red Maples, especially some in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, mainly because I have until very recently never seen up-close photos (especially with humans to show scale) of others... but now I have, and the others are magnificent- just as much as the Smokies Maples!
One Smoky Mountains Red Maple is seven-plus feet across and 141 feet tall! But the otherworldly, primordial Rainforest beauty of the base of Her Trunk is beyond description- and so is the sight of Her mighty, columnar Trunk soaring into the Sky- big Smokies Trees tend to have huge, tall, column-like Trunks!
Maples of the magnificent Eastern North American Forests- Red Maples, Sugar Maples, Silver Maples- including ones in the Prairie Forests in cities and along Rivers! Norway and Sycamore Maples in Europe, a gorgeous Persian (or Velvet) Maple in Persia on Monumentaltrees.com- the only one I've seen- and the immense, gorgeous, Rainforest-looking Bigleaf Maple of the Pacific Northwest (and parts of California)- they all have their own special form of these magnificent, grand, ragged-yet-right soft yet rugged Trunks I love so much!
Another Eastern Maple that sometimes gets really big is the Black Maple, and they too are gorgeous!
Silver Maples are especially big (only the Bigleaf Maple is bigger) and monumental, and magnificently organic, with gorgeous, incredibly grand curves in their Trunk and huge, gorgeous Branches... but ALL of these species have their own special 'take' on it!!!
But of course big Maples aren't the only ones with gorgeous, unique living works of Art in their grand Trunks- the Basswood and Bur Oak, with their often massive, almost Redwood-like column-like Trunks, to mention two from the North American East (look up kywilderness.com Largest Basswood in the USA for these!), and the huge, graceful, rugged Tulip Tree (or Yellow Poplar or Tulip Poplar), the Cottonwoods, the magnificent European Oaks, the Asian Camphor Tree (a recent discovery for me!)- well, you get the idea.
Don't forget to look for pictures of these Trees- and if you get a chance to visit and hug a Tree like this, don't miss out!
David S. Annderson
And if you want more on great Trees, view or download (for free!) Life in the Temperate Rainforest from my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word. Have fun!
How can anyone not love Silver Maples!
I had long fallen in love with big Maples, and the Silver Maple has everything I love about big Maples- those magnificent soft, rugged, warm, ragged-but-right, practically mythic Trunks!
How I would love to be in the presence of those magnificent soft, rugged, grand, magnificently strong Trunks! And Branches!
Each species of big Maple- indeed, each magnificent individual- is unique, and all of them have these magnificent Trunks, but in different ways- Red Maples, especially some in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, mainly because I have until very recently never seen up-close photos (especially with humans to show scale) of others... but now I have, and the others are magnificent- just as much as the Smokies Maples!
One Smoky Mountains Red Maple is seven-plus feet across and 141 feet tall! But the otherworldly, primordial Rainforest beauty of the base of Her Trunk is beyond description- and so is the sight of Her mighty, columnar Trunk soaring into the Sky- big Smokies Trees tend to have huge, tall, column-like Trunks!
Maples of the magnificent Eastern North American Forests- Red Maples, Sugar Maples, Silver Maples- including ones in the Prairie Forests in cities and along Rivers! Norway and Sycamore Maples in Europe, a gorgeous Persian (or Velvet) Maple in Persia on Monumentaltrees.com- the only one I've seen- and the immense, gorgeous, Rainforest-looking Bigleaf Maple of the Pacific Northwest (and parts of California)- they all have their own special form of these magnificent, grand, ragged-yet-right soft yet rugged Trunks I love so much!
Another Eastern Maple that sometimes gets really big is the Black Maple, and they too are gorgeous!
Silver Maples are especially big (only the Bigleaf Maple is bigger) and monumental, and magnificently organic, with gorgeous, incredibly grand curves in their Trunk and huge, gorgeous Branches... but ALL of these species have their own special 'take' on it!!!
But of course big Maples aren't the only ones with gorgeous, unique living works of Art in their grand Trunks- the Basswood and Bur Oak, with their often massive, almost Redwood-like column-like Trunks, to mention two from the North American East (look up kywilderness.com Largest Basswood in the USA for these!), and the huge, graceful, rugged Tulip Tree (or Yellow Poplar or Tulip Poplar), the Cottonwoods, the magnificent European Oaks, the Asian Camphor Tree (a recent discovery for me!)- well, you get the idea.
Don't forget to look for pictures of these Trees- and if you get a chance to visit and hug a Tree like this, don't miss out!
David S. Annderson
And if you want more on great Trees, view or download (for free!) Life in the Temperate Rainforest from my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word. Have fun!
Saturday, August 2, 2014
How I fell in love with big Maples
I love big Maples.
I love all trees, of course, but there is a special place in my heart for trees I have gotten to know- or tree types I've gotten to know. This includes the beautiful, fairy-like little Asian Maples, over a hundred species of them, wonderful rugged Pine Trees such as the Ponderosa, Jeffery, Black and Scots Pines (Of the Western North American mountains (first 2) and Europe (last 2), huge rugged Oaks, beautiful pink-flowered Crepe Myrtles with the berries the birds love so much, also of many species in the East Asian to Himalayan Temperate Rainforests like the Asian Maples- and one just outside my childhood kitchen window.
You get the idea.
And I love big Maples.
Let me tell you how I fell in love with big Maples.
It started with me wondering about a song.
It was a Rush song about the small trees in the forest- Maples- rebelling against the big Trees of the Forest- huge Oaks- and, shall we say, cutting them down to size.
How awful!!!
Obviously they have never spoken with a Tree. A Real Tree would never do that, even if they could.
Not on purpose, certainly!!!
But I wondered- where they came from, were the Maples REALLY the small Trees?
So I looked up English Maples. Of course, nearly all 70's progressive rock comes from England, and the Oaks are huge there. Sure enough- the Field Maple, a small- to mid-sized Forest Tree.
Then I remembered- Rush is from Canada!
Only two progressive rock bands of the 70's from outside England, but Rush, of course, is one of them.
And the Canadian Maple is the Sugar Maple.
And Sugar Maples are very big Trees- to over 100 feet tall!
Well, obviously I was wrong about the song, but it put a thought in my head- DO Maples tend to be smaller than Oaks?
All across Europe and North America are huge Oaks.
Are there huge Maples?
So I searched- and I found.
Yes, indeed, there are huge Maples.
Sugar Maples, Silver Maples, Red Maples, all over the Eastern North American Forests.
Sycamore Maples and Norway Maples all across Europe.
Persian, or Velvet, Maples in the forests along the Southern Caspian Forests which one website (which I can't find now) mysteriously referred to as one of the largest Maples.
And the biggest of them all, the Bigleaf Maple of the Pacific Forests, among the huge Conifers.
And as I looked at pictures of these Trees, I fell in love with them.
The Bigleaf Maple already had one of my favorite Internet Trees- a huge Tree with candelabra-like branches of immense size reaching out like loving arms on Treegirl's website which I call the Mother Maple.
I would love to meet the Mother Maple someday. She lives in Olympic National Park.
But ALL of these Maples- these huge Maples with their magnificent softly rugged, earthy Trunks, deep and otherworldly, rugged but soft, harder-looking on the surface of many Sugar Maples but beautifully rounded-off in the ruggedness, and magnificently earthy- and others, including a huge Sugar Maple in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with truly soft-looking bark, rugged and earthy and all.
Truly magnificent.
There are other wonderful things about big Maples- the legendary Fall Color, the abundant edible seeds which feed so many animals, and American Indians in the past...
But those Trunks! Those magnificent, Rainforest-like Trunks!
See for yourself. Search Champion Silver Maple for a start.
David S. Annderson
For more, go to my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
Enjoy!
I love all trees, of course, but there is a special place in my heart for trees I have gotten to know- or tree types I've gotten to know. This includes the beautiful, fairy-like little Asian Maples, over a hundred species of them, wonderful rugged Pine Trees such as the Ponderosa, Jeffery, Black and Scots Pines (Of the Western North American mountains (first 2) and Europe (last 2), huge rugged Oaks, beautiful pink-flowered Crepe Myrtles with the berries the birds love so much, also of many species in the East Asian to Himalayan Temperate Rainforests like the Asian Maples- and one just outside my childhood kitchen window.
You get the idea.
And I love big Maples.
Let me tell you how I fell in love with big Maples.
It started with me wondering about a song.
It was a Rush song about the small trees in the forest- Maples- rebelling against the big Trees of the Forest- huge Oaks- and, shall we say, cutting them down to size.
How awful!!!
Obviously they have never spoken with a Tree. A Real Tree would never do that, even if they could.
Not on purpose, certainly!!!
But I wondered- where they came from, were the Maples REALLY the small Trees?
So I looked up English Maples. Of course, nearly all 70's progressive rock comes from England, and the Oaks are huge there. Sure enough- the Field Maple, a small- to mid-sized Forest Tree.
Then I remembered- Rush is from Canada!
Only two progressive rock bands of the 70's from outside England, but Rush, of course, is one of them.
And the Canadian Maple is the Sugar Maple.
And Sugar Maples are very big Trees- to over 100 feet tall!
Well, obviously I was wrong about the song, but it put a thought in my head- DO Maples tend to be smaller than Oaks?
All across Europe and North America are huge Oaks.
Are there huge Maples?
So I searched- and I found.
Yes, indeed, there are huge Maples.
Sugar Maples, Silver Maples, Red Maples, all over the Eastern North American Forests.
Sycamore Maples and Norway Maples all across Europe.
Persian, or Velvet, Maples in the forests along the Southern Caspian Forests which one website (which I can't find now) mysteriously referred to as one of the largest Maples.
And the biggest of them all, the Bigleaf Maple of the Pacific Forests, among the huge Conifers.
And as I looked at pictures of these Trees, I fell in love with them.
The Bigleaf Maple already had one of my favorite Internet Trees- a huge Tree with candelabra-like branches of immense size reaching out like loving arms on Treegirl's website which I call the Mother Maple.
I would love to meet the Mother Maple someday. She lives in Olympic National Park.
But ALL of these Maples- these huge Maples with their magnificent softly rugged, earthy Trunks, deep and otherworldly, rugged but soft, harder-looking on the surface of many Sugar Maples but beautifully rounded-off in the ruggedness, and magnificently earthy- and others, including a huge Sugar Maple in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with truly soft-looking bark, rugged and earthy and all.
Truly magnificent.
There are other wonderful things about big Maples- the legendary Fall Color, the abundant edible seeds which feed so many animals, and American Indians in the past...
But those Trunks! Those magnificent, Rainforest-like Trunks!
See for yourself. Search Champion Silver Maple for a start.
David S. Annderson
For more, go to my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
Enjoy!
Identifying (perhaps) a Tree Friend
Outside my bedroom window is a particularly beautiful, especially lush part of the garden. Beyond the bush, small tree and other plants, in the tiny grassy front lawn, is one of my tree friends. I hugged him/her (she is both when she communes with me) for the first time last night- three times- before writing my last blog entry, about hugging Trees. She is a very beautiful tree, with graceful leaves of a beautiful shade of Green and smooth, silvery-gray bark. I have often wondered what kind of Tree she is, since she is a beloved friend, and no one seemed to know- she was here when the family I live with (my second family) moved in.
After finding a database website of garden Trees (I was lucky- it was on the first page!) and going through it, and researching the likely candidates, I think I have found the answer- she is a Rowan, or Mountain-Ash, probably one of the American species.
At least, that's what I think.
They grow to a decent size fast, but stay small- purfect for a place like this. And yes, her leaves and small branches grew back extremely fast after a major winter pruning- you can't even tell!!!
They also get berries, so maybe she isn't a Rowan after all.
Then again, maybe there are no trees to pollinate her, or maybe the winter pruning made it hard for her to produce flowers.
Or maybe my identification is wrong.
But if she is a Rowan, I wondered would she be around long after I'm gone?
Nope.
Apparently, except in certain soil types, Rowan are very short-lived.
I might be around long after SHE'S gone.
Well, okay, a bit after She's gone.
That made me sad- but I remembered that I will still have many years with her.
Who knows? Maybe we DO have that special type of soil here after all. You never know. Even then, Rowans- at least the American species- only live maybe a hundred years, like me if I live a very long time.
But what matters most is that I got a chance to know this Tree in the first place.
I thought of a song I grew up with, Ronnie Milsap's 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world'.
There are a lot of plants that only live a year. Many people never know when they might move away. And we all end up together in the end.
But I am glad to know Him/Her in THIS lifetime, in THIS world. Amen.
And after all, a short time for a Tree is still a very long time for me, right?
We might grow old together. And we'll end up together on the other side.
(except Trees don't grow old- they just keep going until they get rot, or until they blow down.)
I would't miss it for the world.
David S. Annderson
For more visit my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
After finding a database website of garden Trees (I was lucky- it was on the first page!) and going through it, and researching the likely candidates, I think I have found the answer- she is a Rowan, or Mountain-Ash, probably one of the American species.
At least, that's what I think.
They grow to a decent size fast, but stay small- purfect for a place like this. And yes, her leaves and small branches grew back extremely fast after a major winter pruning- you can't even tell!!!
They also get berries, so maybe she isn't a Rowan after all.
Then again, maybe there are no trees to pollinate her, or maybe the winter pruning made it hard for her to produce flowers.
Or maybe my identification is wrong.
But if she is a Rowan, I wondered would she be around long after I'm gone?
Nope.
Apparently, except in certain soil types, Rowan are very short-lived.
I might be around long after SHE'S gone.
Well, okay, a bit after She's gone.
That made me sad- but I remembered that I will still have many years with her.
Who knows? Maybe we DO have that special type of soil here after all. You never know. Even then, Rowans- at least the American species- only live maybe a hundred years, like me if I live a very long time.
But what matters most is that I got a chance to know this Tree in the first place.
I thought of a song I grew up with, Ronnie Milsap's 'I wouldn't have missed it for the world'.
There are a lot of plants that only live a year. Many people never know when they might move away. And we all end up together in the end.
But I am glad to know Him/Her in THIS lifetime, in THIS world. Amen.
And after all, a short time for a Tree is still a very long time for me, right?
We might grow old together. And we'll end up together on the other side.
(except Trees don't grow old- they just keep going until they get rot, or until they blow down.)
I would't miss it for the world.
David S. Annderson
For more visit my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
Friday, August 1, 2014
The Warm Feeling of Hugging a Tree
I have always considered myself a Tree-Hugger, but until a couple of weeks ago (It's August 1, 2014) I have never actually HUGGED a Tree.
What a wonderful feeling!!!
Let me try to describe it to you.
When I am hugging the Tree, with my body touching Her body all around, I can feel the most wonderful warm and fuzzy feeling entering my body and soul through the Tree where I am hugging Him/Her. Coming right through to me from Her Bark and living Wood.
I can FEEL the Tree's life-force- and it is wonderful!
I can FEEL that the Tree is alive just as if I was hugging a girl or a big dog!
It's extrordinary!
Try it- and try saying Hello to the Trees and other Plants you meet!
Especially, say Hello to the Tree before you hug her, and think of her as a fellow person- I have a feeling you will be more aware of the feel of the Tree's alive-ness that way!
And of course, the Tree will appreciate it- but Trees love it when you hug them- that alone is a powerful gesture of Friendship! And hugging her will convince you- and they know it!
You will never Forget it!
David S. Annderson
For more from me, visit my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
And don't forget to say Hi to the Trees!!!
What a wonderful feeling!!!
Let me try to describe it to you.
When I am hugging the Tree, with my body touching Her body all around, I can feel the most wonderful warm and fuzzy feeling entering my body and soul through the Tree where I am hugging Him/Her. Coming right through to me from Her Bark and living Wood.
I can FEEL the Tree's life-force- and it is wonderful!
I can FEEL that the Tree is alive just as if I was hugging a girl or a big dog!
It's extrordinary!
Try it- and try saying Hello to the Trees and other Plants you meet!
Especially, say Hello to the Tree before you hug her, and think of her as a fellow person- I have a feeling you will be more aware of the feel of the Tree's alive-ness that way!
And of course, the Tree will appreciate it- but Trees love it when you hug them- that alone is a powerful gesture of Friendship! And hugging her will convince you- and they know it!
You will never Forget it!
David S. Annderson
For more from me, visit my main site at sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just search 'davidannfreestories', all one word.
And don't forget to say Hi to the Trees!!!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Ever wanted to visit pristine beaches and ancient forests in an untouched Earth taken care of by the great American Indians? Get to know their fantastic Civilization and the natural wonders they protect? Even reverse history and keep it that way?
You can. There are places like that today- and one of them is Clayoquot Sound, not far from Port Renfrew, Canada.
This is one of the best places in the world for Western Red Cedar, fantastic giant Redwood cousins (all false Cedars are Redwood and Cypress cousins)... Trees beyond your wildest dreams. Ancient, magnificent Trees with real character, like from out of a fantasy movie. And like the Trees and their Forests, American Indian Civilization still thrives today.
Two decades ago, logging in this area inspired massive protests by Earth-loving Canadians who were not willing to see their beloved Forests be destroyed. Since then, the American Indian (or First Nations) Tribes in the area have bought out the logging rights for the entire 1,000-some-square-mile area along the coast of Vancouver Island, and have formed their own company to responsibly log the already-logged young Forests so the Old-Growth- the Dream Forest, much of which remains- can be left alone and the world can see that we don't have to destroy Forests. They had to spend a lot of money to protect the Forests... but money doesn't grow on Trees, right?
No, it grows on Tourists. Just by being themselves, Tourists can complete the saving of this vast land- large areas of which are already Old-Growth Provincial or Tribal Parks. So if you want to help, just spread the word- but don't tell people they have to come to save the Forests!
Tell them of the Redwood-sized fantasy Trees, the beautiful beaches, the mossy Forest, the chance to see Whales, the chance to experience American Indian culture....
And be sure and search Clayoquot Sound so you can enjoy it yourself! Until your ship comes in, there are photos, articles- don't forget to Image-Search!- and at least one wonderful YouTube video!
False Cedars aren't the only fantastic Trees- there are huge Douglas-Fir, vast Sitka Spruce, huge broadleaf Trees along the streams, and more, and more... moss, ferns and delicate-seeming little wildflowers everywhere... animals- you might hear a wolf howl! The Forests often come up to the beaches, where Sitka Spruce, among other Trees, can handle the sea spray... and there are whales! I actually know little about this incredible place, which I just descovered on the Internet a few days ago, trying to find out where a picture of an incredible Tree was taken... mostly I know what I have just told you! If you think this seems like a fantastic place, tell others... these Forests have been saved because people spread the word! You are not helpless, you are powerful! And if you would like to learn more about these types of Forests, Search Temperate Rainforest on the Web and visit my main page to view or download (as .txt files) my book about the Temperate Rainforests and more for free! Just for you to enjoy! It's sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just Google 'davidannfreestories', all one word. And don't forget to Image-Search Clayoquot Sound, the Trees and the Forest- there are incredible photos out there!
David S. Annderson
You can. There are places like that today- and one of them is Clayoquot Sound, not far from Port Renfrew, Canada.
This is one of the best places in the world for Western Red Cedar, fantastic giant Redwood cousins (all false Cedars are Redwood and Cypress cousins)... Trees beyond your wildest dreams. Ancient, magnificent Trees with real character, like from out of a fantasy movie. And like the Trees and their Forests, American Indian Civilization still thrives today.
Two decades ago, logging in this area inspired massive protests by Earth-loving Canadians who were not willing to see their beloved Forests be destroyed. Since then, the American Indian (or First Nations) Tribes in the area have bought out the logging rights for the entire 1,000-some-square-mile area along the coast of Vancouver Island, and have formed their own company to responsibly log the already-logged young Forests so the Old-Growth- the Dream Forest, much of which remains- can be left alone and the world can see that we don't have to destroy Forests. They had to spend a lot of money to protect the Forests... but money doesn't grow on Trees, right?
No, it grows on Tourists. Just by being themselves, Tourists can complete the saving of this vast land- large areas of which are already Old-Growth Provincial or Tribal Parks. So if you want to help, just spread the word- but don't tell people they have to come to save the Forests!
Tell them of the Redwood-sized fantasy Trees, the beautiful beaches, the mossy Forest, the chance to see Whales, the chance to experience American Indian culture....
And be sure and search Clayoquot Sound so you can enjoy it yourself! Until your ship comes in, there are photos, articles- don't forget to Image-Search!- and at least one wonderful YouTube video!
False Cedars aren't the only fantastic Trees- there are huge Douglas-Fir, vast Sitka Spruce, huge broadleaf Trees along the streams, and more, and more... moss, ferns and delicate-seeming little wildflowers everywhere... animals- you might hear a wolf howl! The Forests often come up to the beaches, where Sitka Spruce, among other Trees, can handle the sea spray... and there are whales! I actually know little about this incredible place, which I just descovered on the Internet a few days ago, trying to find out where a picture of an incredible Tree was taken... mostly I know what I have just told you! If you think this seems like a fantastic place, tell others... these Forests have been saved because people spread the word! You are not helpless, you are powerful! And if you would like to learn more about these types of Forests, Search Temperate Rainforest on the Web and visit my main page to view or download (as .txt files) my book about the Temperate Rainforests and more for free! Just for you to enjoy! It's sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just Google 'davidannfreestories', all one word. And don't forget to Image-Search Clayoquot Sound, the Trees and the Forest- there are incredible photos out there!
David S. Annderson
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Swim, Fishies, swim, Fishies, swim while you can
Swim 'til the Fisherman comes from the land
Fisherman, fisherman, does what he please
Keeps the loggers from cutting down Trees
Trees shelter Fishies so Fishies can swim
Everyone's happy, everyone wins!
David S. Annderson
Free stories on main site:sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just google 'davidallfreestories, all one word
Trees really do shelter the waters for fish!
Enjoy!
(I was listening to Schubert's Trout Quintet!)
Swim 'til the Fisherman comes from the land
Fisherman, fisherman, does what he please
Keeps the loggers from cutting down Trees
Trees shelter Fishies so Fishies can swim
Everyone's happy, everyone wins!
David S. Annderson
Free stories on main site:sites.google.com/site/davidannfreestories, or just google 'davidallfreestories, all one word
Trees really do shelter the waters for fish!
Enjoy!
(I was listening to Schubert's Trout Quintet!)
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