The Old Man of a Tree

We have an old Pecan tree. And, since we've owned our property, we have watched it change little... until more recently. Although looking at it, during any of the time we've known it, one can see the change it's endured over its life. Since we've known it, the center portion of it has been... gone. Yes, quite some number of years back, it was struck by lightening. Following, it healed itself and has flourished.

This tree was a grand stately tree. Right now, still, the trunk's circumference is 20 feet with a diameter of 6 1/2 feet. It is one huge tree... well not as much anymore... at least up top.

Below is a pic I took some years back, in the spring. I even titled the picture (which I don't always do) "Under the Pecan". The horses love this tree for the shade it can give.

I had a bench (that my creative other half made) sitting under it. It was my place to stop, sit, and ponder, cogitate, reflect, ruminate, speculate, acknowledge and laud (you get the picture) stuff in life.

**sighhh**

But, things change. Life changes. I usually am kicking and screaming the whole way when it comes to change... has pretty much always been like that. Am getting better due a life-long effort to be more cognizant of my sentiment. But... I digress.

So, the bench had to be moved because the horses started chewing it apart. My dear other half fixed it, but it sits elsewhere now.

Then more change. Hurricane Ike happened to our Old Man of a Tree. The left half of the Pecan fork was twisted around and broke. If you look at the pic above, you can see that the tree forks. Well, that whole huge left half broke.

These two pics (above and below) were taken from opposite sides of the tree. The Old Man broke... **sighh** ...and can you hear me kicking and screaming? I'm not so much doing that now. But, a few days ago, we had a tree service come out. Though normally this is something we would take care of ourselves... it was kind of like having your car's oil changed, with some things it's just easier to pay someone else to do it.

Anyway, all has been cut, cleared, and cleaned. And the Old Man's frailty is showing.
We left what we could of him, as shade is valuable here and his right side is tall/wide enough that he's good to go... just smaller and less impressive looking.

But, with change can comes positives too...

In the summer, when the limbs fill with leaves, the horses will stand underneath during ritualistic times of the day and take a break in the shade. We have plenty of other trees for shade, but the horses prefer the Old Man for his location. He is located near the fence that separates the mare's pasture from our stallion's pasture... and everyone likes to visit one another throughout the day and this is a perfect meeting place for them.

And... Ohhh boy, the firewood. It is not clear below, but there are two rows of stacked firewood-with the smaller diameter pieces being in front ...and we do like a good fire in the winter.

Our Little Someone had a bit of fun crawling around and atop these huge pieces of Pecan below- and sitting high up with her Daddy.

What a cutie in pink sitting next to tired Momma (I was not planning to be in a pic).

The dog's "grazed" on Pecans since all the limbs/brush had been cleared. Smidgen, the black Dane's mouth foamed because she was eating and swallowing as fast as she could crunch.

I'm sure the dog's enjoyed the change this brought. I will just look forward to spring so I can watch the leaves fill in and see the Old Man take shape again. Boy, if he could talk... the stories he could tell.