Exact year I don’t recall at the moment, let’s say 10 years or better has gone by now though, but he called and said ya know that big oak along the shore in front of the cabin.
I said yes, of course, well sometime the week prior it was hit by lightning, that long armed branch that hung out of the water was shattered into toothpicks, the main trunk is still standing but instead of 60 feet up its now a 12 foot smoking dagger sticking out of the ground. Could you come down to the cabin and cut it up? I’ll even give you most of the wood. And so I did.
Last week, I set the very last chunk of a 344-year-old oak tree, in the fire pit outside. The age was verified by three counts of the rings each, from three family members.
I used this last remaining piece for many years as a chopping block for kindling as it was so solid, so massive around, but over time, it took its toll, I loaded it up in the front-end loader, drove it out of the woodshed, and set its remaining hulk in our fire pit.
It’s been burning for five straight days, and I’m wondering how much longer it will continue to burn, and make no mistake about it, I’m gonna miss that huge chunk of oak, and I’d bet the lakeshore it was on, for all those years, might be missing it as well.
- The Trout Whisperer
