A New View from our Porch

April of 05. We'll not see pines like this again in our lifetime.

Today I finally got to watch the loggers cut down some of our trees.  They happened to be the ones where Marianne and Pat got married.  Also one was the one that blew down when a freak wind came through about 20 feet up in the air and snapped it off.  We always called it Darcy's tree because he was here when it happened and I have pictures of him standing beside it.

We have several other marriage trees that are also gone and one Aspen marriage tree that is still with us although it is getting pretty old.  Here are some still pictures of them.

Darcy by the tree in 2007.

One of my favorite pictures of Darcy's tree.

Darcy's tree today.  Anyone need firewood?  You're welcome to come get some from our old friends!

 

 

There are a lot of memories surrounding these trees.  One is of the many elk and deer that hunters hung in these trees during hunting season.  Another is of the summer Manuel and Francisco (two of my students from West Wendover) came for a visit and brought a pinata for Brendin and Darcy to break open.  We hung it from these trees.  One summer Jim had all the cousins who were here help transplant some little pines from up in the woods to around these trees.  Too bad they never took hold even though the kids watered them faithfully (well, for a few days, anyway...).  Kathi pitched her teepee for the cousins under these trees, too.   Of course, none of us can forget Grandpa Ran's Wedding Arch woven with pine boughs that sat under these trees for Marianne and Pat's wedding.

Danny and Kathi's marriage tree in winter.  This was also the Stellars Blue Jays' favorite home in winter.  I hope they can find a new place!

 

Kathi and Danny's trees today!  Anyone want to come help with the cleanup?

At least the humming birds will still have their nesting tree!  In the background is a view of the dead pines on the National Forest.  No logging going on there!

 Many people have camped under these trees.  We also tried to plant rhubarb here but it never grew! Erin broke her arm playing "kick the can" here, and many kids hid down under these trees playing "night games"!  JJ lost her glasses in the high water of the creek under these trees, too.

Danny and Beth's wedding guys by the only standing marriage trees left. 

JJ and Ozzie, Danny and Beth were married under these trees. 

 

The Aspen marriage trees today.  They're getting old and the Forest Service says an Aspen blight is coming soon!

 

We won't soon forget the woodpecker who attended Danny and Beth's wedding in the trees and on the fence.  Everyone was giggling because they knew what Bob was thinking!  JJ and Ozzie's wedding was accompanied by a huge cloud of mosquitoes!  We kind of rushed through the service so we all could spray on more OFF!  This is where our friends, Roger, Isabel and Jim and their family camp every year.  Our campfire sight is out here too.

 

Although I am sad to lose our old friends, the landscape is improved without all the Halloween graveyard looking trees! As you can see, though, there are still some left on our property.  I think our house is safer from forest and wild fires but these other trees will be going down before long!