Giant Sequoia's

i'm on a dial up today so i'm not attaching any pics.  i do have some lovely one's of the Sequoia's but they will have to wait for a faster connection.


We have family on both coasts, so we try to split the visiting time. i’ve always lamented that the trees in the east are too close together and not as tall as those on the west coast. The dense trees in the east are small and stubby to my western eyes and although beautiful in their own right don’t have the appeal that the western pines and sequoia’s have.


Yesterday we visited some Giant Sequoias and as we were walking through the grove a deep sadness came over me. Lying on the ground were the remains of an old Sequoia. It had been uprooted and lay exposed upon the ground. The bare blackened dead tree had a presence on the forest floor that cut to my core. People were walking on top of it and through it by way of a tunnel that pierced its middle.

Close by, live Giant Sequoias made your neck hurt just trying to find the top of these massive trees; their girth dwarfing other pines while their red bark glowed unlike the surrounding vegetation. The grove of elder trees appeared to be holding court while also being reminded of those who have passed on.

The Sequoia’s are not numerous, just dominant. You wanted to touch them to find out what they knew but the fences erected to keep us away prevented any close contact with the living and that is what made me sad.

Californian’s had waited too long to protect these monstrous trees. The ones lying on the forest floor were evidence of our neglect. Fortunately, according to the signs along the trail the population is now starting to increase. New ones are beginning to grow because we finally learned that keeping fire away from them impeded their reproductive abilities.

The time spent amongst the Sequoia’s reminded me of man. The fences we build, the fires we try to put out and the ability we all have to learn from our mistakes and change course.  All of us, man and nature are too precious to ignore.

These massive giants dwell in a grove that is hard to reach. This is a place that encourages us to think about our impact on the environment. A place to think about life and death and still leave with such a good feeling it accompanies you all the way to bed.

We have been interacting with friends and family on a daily basis.  Telling our stories, joining together in various settings and melding with whom ever is present.  This trip is not just about enjoyment, it is about connecting while you have the chance. 

Time to edit this is lacking so please bear with me, its a miracle it is even getting published.  See you next week.