Thursday, December 17, 2009

Stumped

I didn't take any photos today and was stumped for something to post. Then I thought about the photos I had taken awhile back of my favorite stumps here on the property. I was going to make a stump post but the photos got lost in iPhoto. Ah, but I found them and decided to post these two pics. The top photo is of the stump by the front gate. Some years it has more moss growing on it and some years I have planted myrtle in it or other flowers.
This stump is not too far away from the gate and it has a small cedar growing out of the middle. I think they call these stumps "mothers" or at least they do in the redwood forests when redwood seedlings grow up out of another tree. I have lots of photos of other stumps, but I figure a person can only look at so many stumps unless they are a stump aficionado. Don't think there are too many of those.

I fell in love with trees, stumps and nature walks when we lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I used to take the girls to Henry Cowell State Park here in Felton (photos.) We would visit the nature center, walk the trails, identify trees and plants, and visit Roaring Camp next door and feed the ducks and geese. Sometimes we would make a day of it and take a picnic. I always tried to remember to take a flashlight so we could take it inside the hollow Captain Fremont Redwood tree here (story is he camped in it) so we could see the shelves they made in the side of the tree. Every year the opening is getting smaller, so eventually the opening to the burned out center will be closed and the tree will look whole.

I do miss the redwood trees in the area and on our property (neat photos here.) There is just something so special about a huge redwood tree. It is not just the size, but the fact that it has been alive for thousands of years through so much history. When I was standing inside or next to one of those trees it made the history of the area come alive for me. I am grateful for the people who fought to save the redwoods for all of us to enjoy.

Felton here is a neat little town and reminds me a lot of the old gold towns up here where I now live. On our jaunts we used to stop in Felton at a book store and then at a little cafe in an old hotel that made the best berry pies I ever had. I used to visit Felton with a friend's family when I was in high school and never thought I would be taking my children there to enjoy the same sights.

I knew some people in Felton, who had dobermans, so I could tell dobie stories too, but not now.
[1 egg today]

Smiles
~:>

8 comments:

lisa said...

Very nice, thanks for sharing!

Tina Marie the Willow Witch said...

I fell in love with the redwoods when we made our trip to Oregon and California two summers ago...They just took my breath away.. Glad I made my way here, I will be back. Have a great day!

Chicken Boys said...

It has always been a dream of mine to visit the Redwoods and Sequoias. Maybe one day I'll get to.
~Randy

DayPhoto said...

Sometimes it is hard to come up with something to blog about. You did well. A very nice post.

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

Callie Brady said...

lisa: Thank you!

Willow Witch: Old growth Redwood forests are spectacular. I agree.

Chicken Boys: Hope you get to spend a lot of time wandering the trails among the redwoods.

DayPhoto: Thank you!

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

What a cool stump... We can see why you decide on this post...

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie

Arlene said...

Well I love the stumps and the stump!!! LOL!!! I used to have a tree at this house that was 52 inches across!! One evening it just fell nearly smashing my house in. But I cried for that old tree. I knew it had seen a lot of things in its life. Whats left of it has my wisteria vine on it! You brought back a great memory. Thank you so much!

Callie Brady said...

Gus, Louie and Callie: I love trees, stumps and mountains. I'm not a city girl at all.

Arlene: Glad you still have some of the old tree. I worry about trees falling on this house or the motor home. Thank you.