Dead Trees Are Beautiful, too!

  Years and years ago, a children's book was bought at a library sale. Mom purchased the book for my kids because it was full of interesting pictures. It centered around life in a dead tree. She thought that since the kids were so into "critter watching" (wonder who taught them a silly thing like that?), that the book might pique yet another angle to their pastime.  Needless to say, the book was a hit and from that time forward, we hunted for dead trees.  The book detailed all of the life that a dead tree harbors from birds nesting in holes to slugs in the mulch at the base of the tree.  It was great fun to find such a tree and scavenge among the peeling bark to see just how many critters we could find.  The kids found a bunch...far too many and too weird for me to agree to see as pets.  I insisted that the critters stay at home in the dead trees.

  I have to admit, however, that there is indeed something alluring about a dead tree.  My interest is more in the silhouette that the tree presents against the night sky.  Photographs of such are almost haunting in appearance.  The Black Gum tree that sits just outside the front door has succumbed to the onslaught of woodborers.  These critters gnaw away at the innards of the tree until the life-giving sap just cannot support the tree any longer.  The tree dies.  

  While it devastates me to lose yet another tree, I do find this one quite beautiful.  Tonight's sky was just bright enough for me to capture that beauty before the tree is no more.  Mark will have to remove the tree soon as it presents a hazard to the rooftop.  It makes me sad and will make the dozen or so flying squirrels equally sad as they will have to find new winter quarters.  Perhaps I can convince Mark to just somehow top out the tree and leave the trunk for the squirrels at least until warmer weather.  Poor babies will not find a cozy spot at least for a few days if the tree is cut.  Ahh, life in a dead tree....who knew?