A casualty of the storm

[fimbrethil]

One of the larger oak trees in the park was viciously felled by Friday's thunderstorm. Rather than being uprooted as is the usual demise of most oak trees in strong winds, she was split in two. Apparently some of her heartwood was rotten and she tore in half. Luckily she fell in such a way that the other trees in the area were mostly spared. What

Comments

[dafydd]

We used to have an oak tree in the center divide of US Highway 101. It was the only oak tree in the center divide in the 15 mile stretch between Morgan Hill and San Jose. It was distinctive. One could call in accident by saying "Northbound 101, north of Coyote Creek Drive, at the Oak Tree" and everyone would know exactly what the location was.

That tree reminded me of a story from elementary school. The story was one of peoples' travels told from the point of view of an oak tree. And how the tree would rise up out of the ground to greet people as they passed, and then sink back into the ground as they drifted over the horizon. The story told of how the tree had to start keeping track of where it was in relation to more and more people as the population kept going up around it. I wanted to find a copy of that story and bury it next to this tree.

The state is widening this section of 101 to three lanes now. The traffic needs the relief. But routing the freeway around the tree would have cost an extra $15 million. So they tore it out.

I miss that tree...

[fimbrethil]

Ugh. At least this tree succumbed to natural causes. I'm sorry.