Lessons of the Twisted Twizzler Tree

If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound? I think so, but who really cares if it makes a sound... the real question is if a tree falls in the forest, exposing all it's roots as it rips from the soil, can it not only keep on living but begin to grow many more trees on top, turn it's roots into twisted tree trunks and lift rocks? Yes, for realz. (I bet it made alot of noise when it happened!)

This twisted, braided, beaded (with rocks and knots) tree is close to the Luck Cabin, sitting in a wet bog like area where a few small creek & springs converge - creating an area of strange trees, trees that either fell and re-grew, or that look like 4 feet of ground dropped out from underneath.

Look below and you can see the original main tree truck that fell - it has even decayed at the top, covered in moss and turning into soil, but more trees grow straight up into the air from it.

Smaller trees...some dead, some alive wrap their roots in a hug on old roots and other new trees growing...

Rocks that had been in the ground, rocks that had intertwined with the roots were lifted and then the growth became tighter around them, till they were part of the twisted beauty, almost camouflaged into bark covered roots...

Some rocks sit loosely but never fall, they rest cradled up in the air.

These parts of nature inspire me... even if it's somewhat cliche' in my mind, the twisted tree shows the type of perseverance humans can take guidence from, it shows strength and adaptability--- and the sheer delight and beauty in the unusual, the strange, the handicap, the freaky. It's why I never turn my back on the rejected, the creepy, the lonely, the different things- they are life too, all exsistence is part of this mysterious cycle, all possessing lessons to teach. Lessons that make our lives easier.

AKA -

You hate homeless people, well Get Over IT!

You think that poor person should get a job or not be able to have babies of their own,well Get OVer It!

People in a wheelchair freak you out, well GET OVer IT!

Developmentally Disabled people scare you, GET OVEr IT!
That weird drunk guy who wont stop talking to you, He's got something to teach!

(I need not go on....the twisted tree has spoken ;) ....)

Xoxoxox

Planting My Dwarf Fruit Trees

I recently had to cut down some trees at the Luck Cabin in order to have a little sunshine, internet service and a spot to build my mini barn for the donkey and chickens. Can I just say no matter how hard I fought it, I felt terrible with every moment of every cut when the wintergreen smell of the birch tree's bark hit the breeze as it was chainsaw'ed into.... don't really care if they are renewable resources (and all other justifiable arguements like my big stacks of firewood) it still hurt my heart to cut them down.

*
SO now I am planting some new trees to replace the ones I cut! I had already put in a white peach, regular peach and mulberry tree I brought with me here --- but then I read a Homesteading Book I got as a gift, a book that shows you how to make elaborate food gardens in a very small space...this book had me hooked when they mentioned Dwarf Fruit Trees! Yay! The perfect solution to my small spot of sun, so that they won't shade my veggie garden...

Introducing::::::

(above) My Tart Cherry Tree! This one is my very favorite, not cause of the fruity yummy cherries I will get next year but because when I was carrying her to the garden I had to lean my face against her trunk and all i felt was love.

The Pear Tree (below) was not happy about being put in a box and brought VIA Fed Ex.... but whatevs, he'll get over it. :)

Annnndd here is the lovely PEACH tree! mmmmm.

The rad thing about planting these dwarf fruit trees are they will be making fruit by next year! I don't have to wait 10, 15, 30 years before seeing some fruits - next season I will happily have just what I need (and ya'll know i love feeling like I don't have to depend on the stores to give me food!)

Xoxoxo

Whoa WTF Tree!

Yeah, it looks like a rock in front that large tree trunk right? From far away I knew it was part of the tree, but as I approached it I thought that HAS to be a big boulder....

WHat it is IS A TREE (not a rock), folded ova' like a piece of freakin' bread dough! Wowsers! I don't even begin to understand this one.

But I love it. I mean I love it so much that if it asked me to marry it, I would totally say yes and take care of this old man (knowing he will outlive me!) This is not only an awesome tree because of this weirdo circular appendage, but also it is one of the largest birch trees I have ever seen! The type of birch which smells like wintergreen & rootbeer in it's bark and branches.....mmmmm

You can see here the top of the folded bark 'boulder', and it's strange connection to the main trunk... what do you think? One time a root? One time a trunk? Wtf is it?

AnD here's Me ! On top the funny rounded stumpy! WiLd !

xoxoxxoo

Trees In The Woods

I went for a walk in the woods next to the Luck Cabin, here are the trees I saw that made me say WOW, neato, and DAng!

Xoxox

Spooky Tree: Portal To Another World?

The thing about nature is even the worst disease, the most scarred, damaged and dead thing in the woods is sometimes the most powerful, fascinating and attractive bit of beauty amongst the mundane. (Mundane, as anything we become accustomed to seeing.) Me and Bort found this giant melted, twisted, knotted, hollowed, mangled tree in the forest behind my cabin...
Seeing things like this always bring out the best of my imagination - if there is ever any glimmer of hope that things will turn out to be all multi dimensional (like it was in the Golden Compass book series) ... and just like in the movies you can just accidentally lean against a bump in an old tree to get to the other side(s) ---> finding things like this puts the spark of opportunity and mystery in my eye.
Bort began moving towards the other side of the tree first...
And then I followed to find a whole other realm of interest --- a blackened bark with knots following upward like a ladder made for critters and gnomes. ;)
With a big hole in the ground, which I stood in and tried casting a spell with a stick. Maybe it worked?!? But I lost my concentration when I realized I was standing in a wet hole, soaking into my boots. bye bye big spooky fantabulous tree.
xoxoxXooox

My LOveLy LaDy Stump

If I was a raccoon, coyote, or fairy I 'd live in this fallen old tree stump. It's large and hollow almost throughout the entire thing. This is the kind of place that is right above a sun sparkled creek where you can listen to giant woodpeckers tap on the trees, breezes rustling leaves of Rhododendrons, water fall over rocks, and it warms your heart (broken or unbroken kinds).
There are two holes up top, like skylights to the inside contents of the mysterious stump. Such a perfect seeming critter home that I hardly dared to stick my hand down that hole...
But I did dare, and this below is what the view from the inside looking out was...
a light at the end of the tunnel.
PS- here's a link to the song the post title refers to... (beware it's pop music!)

Xoxoxo

Visitor's F-en Rock!

I was all YIPPEE when I saw this truck arrive, because it held my super good friends Heather and Phoenix. We used to be neighbor's in Asheville, and back when my seizures got really bad and I could no longer drive... i sold my truck, that golden Ford Ranger pictured above to Phoenix so that it would get some good use. How fun that it now brings them to visit me here in Hot Springs now!!!

The best part of the visit (and the only part before my camera battery died) was when I showed them the 'bog' of swampy mush mud and tangled trees, in a little spot that resembles something from the imagination of Jim Henson... something for other creatures or dimensions. Water has turned the trees every which way- up, down, braided, horizontal, exposed roots with large enough holes to crawl under. The area is like having my own small piece of Louisiana swamp in my backyard and I am enthralled with it more then any other section of land.

That is Heather, crossing on a multi tree'd tree....
And Phoenix, coming out of a root hole underneath another tree ( an old paper birch)!
Some trees almost made sense, but others had things going on that were impossible to ever figure out what had happened, how it was shaped - what was root or trunk?!? A history too old and twisted to ever read.

Me and Heather played on one of the most twisted bizarre trees of all. It was fun. :)
Heather also brought me beautiful gifts- scarves to make shirts out of and a tiny teacup from the thrift store. Thanks ya'll for coming to my remote cabin!!!

Bye bye!
XoXo