Religion
Nature and religion travel well with me so first here is a train of thought from Paul and then a new word I learned from asking about the Popeswood Meadow oak trees.
Sandy’s understanding 2025 of Paul 57/58 AD.
‘ Justified by FAITH we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We stand in GRACE and rejoice in HOPE of the Glory of God.
But
What about our bad/ difficult times/tribulations?
They cause/ work/make PATIENCE
Patience causes/works/gives EXPERIENCE
Experience gives/makes/causes HOPE!
And HOPE is not ashamed: because the love of God is in our hearts and is evident in who we are by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
We JOY in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Romans 5: 1-11 make it your own. I enjoyed doing this.
‘ The atonement of Christ is not a mere skilful way to have our sins forgiven, it is a divine remedy for the cure of doing wrong and the restoration of spiritual health… in our hearts/emotions and character/ habitual behaviour.‘
EG White
Now for the trees.
Eight years ago this October I collected acorns from the ancient oaks in Popeswood Meadow. Many grew strong stalks but except for two shrub-like trees, the rest weren’t given a proper chance.. These two have gone through periods of too much water and no water and I have noticed shoots from the roots replacing the original stalks.
They both have leaves the one covered in a whitish velvet the other in brown new leaves. They will soon loose their leaves
I have also asked questions about the oak trees in the meadow.
Why are some trees quite heavy with acorns while others have very few? The answers involved the word ‘masting’.
Here is a definition for masting.
‘ Masting is the regionally synchronised production of a very large seed crop by a single species of tree, like an oak. This happens at semi-regular intervals with mast years occurring every 2-5 years for oaks.’ AI
Is 2025 a mast year?
It is thought that it is with multiple reports suggesting that it is. Our last mast year was 2020 and then in 2021 the crop of acorns was unusually low. Its cause is complex. It is thought to involve weather conditions, spring temperatures, and energy reserves within the trees. These conditions then become a strategy to overcome predators. Mast years make sure there will be saplings and that all the acorns won’t be eaten.
Looking at the trees:
Few if any acorns on this branch.
Then looking at one tree that I think has more acorns than the others
Will every tree take part?
No, not every oak tree in a specific area will go into mast simultaneously but rather all trees of that species in a large geographical area will synchronise their seed production during a mast year.
I wonder how the world of oak trees will be in 2025? Just a question.
Hope Jahren ( She is an American Geochemist and Geobiologist. If you would like to hear her speak press on her name. She is speaking at this time last year and her book which you may have read is The Story of More.)
Take care,
Sandy 🙂