A funeral for a grand old "firry" friend

Wednesday, 27 Aug 08 (posted about 4 months ago) Overcast 14°C / 58°F

This is a very hard day for me and I know I am getting overly emotional but just can’t seem to fight the tears off. When we returned from our trip to New York I noticed my oldestDouglas Fir which is from old growth forest was shedding needles EVERYWHERE. Her “fir” was literally falling out by the wheelbarrow fulls.

This beautiful tree is one of 7 old growth firs on the property that provide shade and protection for my family as well as countless broods of owls, chickadees, Douglas squirrels, woodpeckers and hummingbirds etc etc etc. How many generations has this old girl ushered into the world!! The photo above shows the entry to my garden..the large trunk is my lovely lady!

I tried to put the inevitable out of my mind but last night was my last night being graced by her towering presence silouetted in the sunset. I had to do something to say goodbye so I set up a shrine with fresh picked flowers and incense and sat with my glass of wine in the garden and blubbered like a baby. I’m so hopeless!!!

Bling Bling (my little stuffed panda who is featured in my travel photos) was so overcome with sadness she wanted to hug the tree so I helped her up. You can see the weeping sap on the bark below Bling. It all happened so fast we still have no idea why the tree is dying

I asked the lumberjacks to leave a tall stump that is bistro table hight providing she didnt’ die of disease. I wouldn’t want anything to spread to my other gentle giants!! This will be my special sitting place for years to come. This graceful lady will be with me always.

Farewell my special friend…this quote below is from 1938 when you were starting your golden years

“The oaks and the pines, and their brethren of the wood, have seen so many suns rise and set, so many seasons come and go, and so many generations pass into silence, that we may well wonder what “the story of the trees” would be to us if they had tongues to tell it, or we ears fine enough to understand.”

~Author Unknown, quoted in Quotations for Special Occasions by Maud van Buren, 1938

CLICK HERE FOR A LINK TO THE JOURNAL CONCLUSION WITH PHOTOS OF THE TREE REMOVAL

Want to comment?

Armorel wrote:
hugs for you, Graffiti.

Losing a special and venerable friend like this is very hard and I hope She enjoyed the flowers and incense of your heartfelt farewell.

I love the quote, by the way, very appropriate.

Posted on 28 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Graffiti wrote:
Thank you so much Armorel….you are so sweet to comment.

The chainsaws are buzzing over my house as I write. It’s a pretty sad day. One thing I have to remember is the old saying is when one door closes, another opens. I have needed more sun on my property since we moved in. I will plant a veggie garden with a fig tree too around my new tree stump table.

Posted on 28 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Nax wrote:
Nothing so magnificent as that fir, but I’ve had three trees come down on my small property, each one special in its own way. I’ve managed to find a silver lining for each, like your idea to turn the stump into a table, and the fact that you’ll have more sun for the other plants. It’s hard for us to remember that trees have a life cycle too; they seem so immortal. Can’t wait to see the updates on the new life that springs from the one you’re losing!

Posted on 28 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Graffiti wrote:
I so agree Nax….they seem immortal and one of the few “reliable” things in our lives. I appreciate your sympathies so much.

I just looked out the window and all the branches are gone…it looks like a giant telephone pole. The sections are coming down and every 5 minutes are so there is an earth shaking THUMP that goes right though me.

I have been taking photos of the progression of the removal simply to honor the tree and her place on the planet. The day is beautiful and cool and my tree guys are pretty darned sympathetic I must say. They feel bad to take out such a central part of my garden. UGH…thank goodness summer and the garden is waning..I would freak if this had happened inside my main beds in the springtime.

Posted on 28 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Rainymountain wrote:
Sad, it is always hard to see a valued part of the garden go.
I watched 5 beautiful conifers come down last week in front of two houses just a block away. I can understand taking one of them down as its partner fell down during a fall storm but the other three were younger, and looking at the felled wood had little in the way of disease or rot. The houses look naked and the streetscape has not changed for the better. Someone else’s trees but I miss them, as I am sure yours will be missed by neighbours.

I hope your other two firs remain healthy and beautiful.

Posted on 28 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Graffiti wrote:
Thank you Rainy Mountain …isn’t it something what a change of landscape just removing a tree or two makes. It’s sad to look at such an empty space isnt’ it. I posted another journal entry with the conclusion and pix of the removal HERE

Posted on 29 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Jolantru wrote:
This is a moving tribute to an old old friend.

Posted on 29 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Graffiti wrote:
Jolantru, THANK YOU for your sweet thoughts!! I sure am glad I have you guys here at Folia……we are all in our element here and with folks who totally understand our passions and attachments to nature. It’s good to be among friends!

Posted on 30 Aug 08 (about 4 months ago)
Spicy wrote:
So sad. I feel your pain. I would feel exactly the same way. I love the table idea too. Think about what new things you can now plant in the empty space. Did it provide light for plants you’ve been unable to try? Maybe you can plant a new tree in memoriam.

Posted on 02 Sep 08 (about 4 months ago)