Solomon speaking: ‘ A joyful heart is good medicine.’
‘Learning without wisdom is a load of books on a donkey’s back.’
Zora Neale Hurston
It was while photographing trees that I was stunned to see this one. It had been fine for many years but here it was:
Vegetation cut back it stood alone and red.
Bark outside fallen off.
Acute oak decline, is that what it is?
Environmental stress is said to be the cause, although more research needs to be done.
What are these stress inducing factors?
It is said:
Drought
Water logging
Polution
These can impact the tree. Its leaves become fewer, the tree gets less food, the insects , disease, and pest get in when its bark has fallen.
The decline and death of a Meadow tree.
We plant more young oaks from our own country and hope they learn to cope with the new environment we are making. There is always hope.
‘ There is a real danger of unintended consequences of encouraging people to give up. Pessimism if it becomes a habit, unstoppable decline. If there is nothing we can do , that releases us from our obligations.’
David Grinspoon
Then Aristotle speaks:
‘ Republics decline into democracies and democracies degenerate into despotisms.’
Then, from a poet, John Keats:
‘Land and sea,
weaken and decline
are great separators,
but death is the great divorce forever.’ (For this tree?)nature, tree
Take care,
Sandy 🙂
Poor tree. I feel sad for it. I don’t like to see plants die.
Especially ones much older than us! 100 -200 years old. I am sad with you. I have an idea what may have happened. Forty years ago, there was no real path through. A path went through, and drainage dug. I am not sure, but the water may go into the root area. One can never be exactly sure!
Such a shame😢
I hate seeing trees chopped down or dying… They take so long to grow. 😫
My feelings are the same! It is tragic. They are home for many and provide the breath of life for us. Thank you for your comment.
I don’t like trees cut down, it does upset me, I want them to live their life to the fullest and beyond! I see big old trees like yours as a tree that has grown and aged gracefully for years and years before its ‘alive’ life ended. As it slowly deteriorates, It takes on a different form of artistic beauty while it continues to stand as it can, and feed/shelter wildlife/birds for possibly many more years. When it finally succumbs to the forest’s floor, it will still continue to provide food and shelter for many. A tree’s life doesn’t end when it’s no longer alive if it is allowed to return to the earth as it came forth from. I don’t know if I made sense, sorry if I seemed to go a different direction here. I love trees!!! One of my favorite old snags in the back yard/marsh fell 5-6 weeks ago from the strong gale winds, and I am so disappointed. I miss it’s beauty in my view, and I bet the birds miss it’s perch. It’s now laying along the marshes edge, and I see it fitting right into the surrounding habitat, livin’ on for many more years!
Ah, such a lovely tribute to trees and now the one you miss. I’m glad I found this with your prompt. It is precious, thank you.
Awww, thank you, Sandy 🥰