Even the Mighty Fall

Do you remember my favorite tree? The one that I said our Beaver Family had been nibbling on?

That was November. We have been watching the winter winds blow and the snow pile on, and the rains fall. Each time the gusting winds passed through, you could find us standing at our window, watching it sway, knowing that it has been eaten within an inch of its life, waiting, hoping, to actually SEE it fall... and yet still it stood.

During the night, this past Thursday-into-Friday, the winds blew again, but this time out of the East. And that was all it took.

One glance out my window that morning, and my breathe caught.

The kids and I took an adventure that morning, to investigate.

You'd think they planned it out... every potential variance of weather and wind. Gnawed only from three sides, rather than all the way around.

It fell *exactly* across the creek, and just downstream from their dam.

Not too far from the tip of that other tree they felled.

For nearly 13 years, this tree has entertained me.

That is twice the length of time that the Cottonwood of my early years captivated my climbing and imaginary play.

Silly, I know, but I am sad to see it go. Soothed quite a lot, though, by the means of its demise.

Its a little like living in the pages of a National Geographic article.

Watching the change of the landscape under the teeth of a remarkable creature.

Captivating the attention of a new generation.