Spring has sprung, the grass has ris. This means I go walking in the countryside more. Just now in Britain, the trees are blossoming and breaking into leaf like nobody’s business.
Despite my tree pollen hayfever, I love a nice tree, especially in spring. Seeing them all in their seasonal splendour promps me to offer a picture or three of some of my past favourites.
Perhaps some of you will offer your tree pics? It seems only right that we tree butchers should pay a little homage to the source of all that wonderful material.
Lataxe
Replies
Laughed when I saw the pic of the larch...reminded me of that old Monty Python sketch....Thanks for the pics.
Hey Lataxe, I was going to comment on the Larch also. I am afraid Old Chap that if it is suppose to be greening up, it may not make it this year. I hope you just took that one too early, mate.
#7- The Larch.
Are those Druids walking near that one in the fog?
Happily the larches are all now greened up; the pic was indeed taken last autumn (fall).
It takes a lot to finish off a Gummers How larch. There are many that were long blown over by the wind but they continue to grow happily in a horizontal position using only the 10% of their roots still in the ground. Remarkable!
There are no druids on Gummers How, as the Gharks and Hoos that do live there have eaten them. I always take an anti-ghark wand when I go up there and have only once been chased by a goblin, who may have wanted his fun but why should I suffer those sort of indignities, even if my walking trousers are a bit loud and possibly attractive to goblins or trolls?
Anyway, I often plan my walks to follow not far behind naive tourists, so that the hungry denizens of the nether world (that exists just under the bracken and sedge, I assure you) capture them for their dinner or ignoble play; and ignore me, as I go my way whistling a merry tune, such as "Trolls and Goblins, Come Away" or "Grezelda, When Will You Be Mine.
In a last resort, I would fight them off with flattery, as I do with all indignant creatures that approach me with malice.
Or was it all a dream, one afternoon, long ago.
Lataxe
Yes, It is a very good thing to thank God and pay tribute to the trees which He gave us. I too am a tree hugger. There is a Program going on now in the County Park System where they harvested a 150+ Sugar Maple. Anybody could have some lumber if they made something from the tree to be sold at an Auction and the profits going to the Park District. Every scrap of the tree has been used to make everything from Paper to a Woodin strip Canoe.
The project is called " Centree" So now that the tree has given up it's growing life, It will continue to live for decades in the homes of people who love trees and Wood.Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Bruce,
A similar project was run a few years ago in Tatton Park, a large National Trust property in Chesire, UK. A 150 year old oak needed to be taken down but was given to a number of British makers to see what they could produce. The results became a touring exhibition and a book that really is worth a look. There are many amazing articles besides the very nice furniture produced.
This project was known as the One Tree Exhibition. Even the bark and oysters from the branches were used to make "fashion garments".
Lataxe
This is just the type of program I've been thinking about. One of my local parks just got done taking down a large number of trees. They said the trees were a possible danger to those using the walking path below. Anyway, I was able to convince them to let me take one of the Cherry trunks to have milled up. but the idea of offereing to use the trees in some way to help the community came to mind. What a perfect match for woodworkers and the parks system to join forces and resourses for the greater good.Can you send along any info on the program that might be helpful in starting something here in Noblesville, IN (northern suburb of Indianapolis)?We all know that the many trees that come down every year usually end up in the chipper. What a waste!!!Thanks for the idea.Kurt
Your best bet would be to contact the Park district directly at http://www.geaugaparkdistrict.org You'll have to do a little surfing to find the "contact us" But I'am very sure they will give you some Ideas. Gook luck with your venture, waste not, want not. The program is called "Infinitree" not "Centree" as I posted earlier.
Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
Edited 5/21/2006 12:36 pm ET by BruceS
"Anyway, I often plan my walks to follow not far behind naive tourists.......and ignore me"Come on. Be truthful. You follow them so you can pickup their dropped cameras, binoculars, and purses!
Generally they drop one badly worn mitten that doesn't fit and a bobble hat so ridiculous even I won't wear it.
I'm waiting for one to drop the keys to their Ferrari along with their Swiss bank account number. Never happens.
Lataxe
I will add two more, located to the south of you, one taken outside of Canterbury Cathedral and one from Kew Gardens, in winter, so nothing but grey sky as far as the eye could see.
I'm wondering if the arborists who created the first example aren't on to something, making big, fat logs right close to the ground.
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