Tree of Life, oaks #phenology

The oak trees leaf buds are swollen and beginning to open. No sightings so far of ruby-throated hummingbirds or Baltimore orioles. Black-capped chickadees have been enjoying tasting the grape jelly in the oriole feeder. Dandelion flowers are appearing in increasing abundance. Tomorrow is the last day of April. Saturday is Beltane, the start of the last month of meteorological spring, and about half-way through astronomical spring.

oak tree leaf buds opening

Photo by J. Harrington

Today, for the first time this season, I wore my Celtic Tree of Life t-shirt. I'll wear it, or something comparable, again tomorrow in honor of Arbor Day. The signs are looking good for starting this year's clean-up of dead branches and fallen leaves. Cold, damp, rainy cloudy weather could not induce me to exercise any ambition or enthusiasm. Sunny, even partly cloudy, warmer weather will do it. We'll even see if we can fit in a small bonfire on Beltane's eve.

Celtic Tree of Life

The Oak

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

 

. . . It is the last survivor of a race
Strong in their forest-pride when I was young.
I can remember when, for miles around,
In place of those smooth meadows and corn-fields,
There stood ten thousand tall and stately trees,
Such as had braved the winds of March, the bolt
Sent by the summer lightning, and the snow
Heaping for weeks their boughs. Even in the depth
Of hot July the glades were cool; the grass,
Yellow and parched elsewhere, grew long and fresh,
Shading wild strawberries and violets,
Or the lark's nest; and overhead the dove
Had her lone dwelling, paying for her home
With melancholy songs; and scarce a beech
Was there without a honeysuckle linked
Around, with its red tendrils and pink flowers;
Or girdled by a brier-rose, whose buds
Yield fragrant harvest for the honey-bee
There dwelt the last red deer, those antler’d kings . . .
But this is as dream,—the plough has pass’d
Where the stag bounded, and the day has looked
On the green twilight of the forest-trees.
This oak has no companion! . . . . 

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.