Cataclysmic Consequences! (9 Comments)
When one makes light of what a catastrophe is, then one leaves oneself open to reality.
Reality hit in a lightning, thunder and wind storm yesterday afternoon.
This tree is off the side of the house and provides a great amount of afternoon shade as well as being the “best” climbing tree. This is the tree that nurtured the baby robins earlier this spring.
It missed the house, dog house and the swing set; it covers the sand box. One branch broke lose and then the other came down.
Rose bush branches were bent over and broken. The poor purple-robed locust got it too.
If it’s not poor soil, deer, gophers, pheasants, hot, cold, menacing mowers, and scathing swathers- it’s the wind out to get us. No wonder there aren’t that many trees around here.
It breaks our hearts.
Oh no, not the climbing tree! I showed the girls the pictures and they were certain the boy was heart broken over this. I’ll bet that made a loud thud as it crashed to the ground. We are thankful it didn’t fall on your house or hurt anyone. The girls want to know if the dog is okay. They think this was the tree he stayed by.
Comment by Lindsey — July 1, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
The Girls are right- it’s the tree The Dog stayed by but he was in the house at the time so he is fine!
Thank you for your concern!
Comment by JustMe — July 1, 2008 @ 1:47 pm
Geesh! It makes me wonder what the native trees in the area are. I can tell from the background of the pictures that there aren’t many trees in the area…but there has to be some trees that are native and are successful? At least I assume…
Comment by Liesel — July 1, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
Sympathies from the prairie. Having planted many trees, we know what valued friends they are, and how saddening it is when one is injured or killed. We’ve lost thousands in this area in the last two years due to several major ice storms and strong thunderstorms with big winds, so we feel your pain.
Will you cut off the broken limb and save the rest, or is the whole tree doomed?
Comment by Arat — July 2, 2008 @ 7:05 am
I think the whole tree is doomed because the bark is peeled all the way to the ground. We aren’t in any rush to cut it down- just need to get those branches cleaned up. The Col. said that although we’ll miss the shade the tree provided we now have an opportunity to change some landscaping plans. Possibly change the path to the shop. So I guess some good can come out of it. 🙂
Cottonwoods seem to be a native tree that grows wild along the creek banks. Although the ones along our mostly dry creek are sure taking a beating! I think if this was in it’s natural state there would be no trees except along the creeks. Kind of like the great prairie.
The Col. reminded me of the “Scotch Thistle Tree” that, although not native to this area, grows very well. Over 8 feet tall in places. The Boy takes his ax to them as his morning exercise.
Comment by JustMe — July 2, 2008 @ 7:22 am
I am more sad to see a tree die than even a kitten. I know that is silly — they are all valuable living things.
Coincidentally (because of the aforementioned ice and tornadoes), our state’s forest service has issued a list of “Eight for 2008”. Perhaps useful, perhaps not? But here you go:
Coniferous: Concolor fir (Abies concolor)
Small to medium deciduous: Shantung maple (Acer truncatum (medium))
Large deciduous: Kentucky coffee tree (Gymnocladus dioicus), Northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa), Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum), Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa), Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii), Elm hybrids (Ulmus x, including ‘Accolade’, Cathedral’, ‘Frontier’, ‘New Horizon’, ‘Pioneer, ‘Triumph’, ‘Vanguard’)
Comment by kn. — July 2, 2008 @ 11:42 am
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