Show Me the Ozarks September 2022

OUTDOORS The Great

The birds built their nests, raised their babies and sang their songs in that tree. The squirrels enjoyed the acorns it produced and also built nests in it. Gathering up all the leaves every fall was a chore. Picking up small limbs that fell was a pain. Grandkids enjoyed a rope swing tied to one of its limbs. It also served as a backdrop for many family pictures. My wife and I both loved that giant old oak tree. Recently, I noticed a hole at the bottom of the tree and fungi growing around the base of it. Black ants were eating the wood. I called a tree arborist. His concern, as was mine, was the possibility of the massive roots starting to rot underground. If that was happening and strong winds or an ice storm came along, the tree could end up crushing most of our house. My wife and I talked it over. Our tough decision was it had to go. I was out early the morning they were coming to cut our giant old oak tree down. I wanted to take pictures to remember it by. I stood there for a long time just looking at it. I will admit there was a lump in my throat and maybe a little tear in the corner of one eye. As they started, I did not watch. I went to my workshop and tried to keep busy. I turned up the radio to drown out the sound of saws. When the saws went silent, I stepped out and looked at where the tree used to be. They had already moved and stacked all the logs I would keep. I would now spend a lot of time cutting, splitting and stacking. The old tree will now keep us warm for several winters. I had asked for their final cut to be right above where the two oaks had grown together so long ago. I counted the rings of the tree. It was over 200 years old. I stood there and imagined a squirrel burying two acorns at this spot back in the early 1800s. The acorns eventually sprouted and pushed their way

THE GIANT OLD OAK TREE For over 50 years, a giant old oak tree stood near the corner of our house. It was no ordinary tree. Two oak trees had grown together at the trunk many years ago. It was massive in circumference and stood over 80 feet tall. The shade over our house and the oxygen it produced were invaluable to us. The fall colors of that tree added beauty to our yard.

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