You would think I would hear it, right?? On Saturday night, sometime between Julia getting home at 10:30 pm and 10:30 the next morning, a huge portion of an even bigger Heritage Oak tree crashed to the ground at the top of my driveway.
I can’t believe I didn’t hear it but nope, I didn’t hear a thing. This fuels the whole philosophical debate about ‘if a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound’. It is hard to describe the size of the gorgeous tree. If the fallen limb were upright and Julia and I were trying to reach our arms around the trunk, our hands would not meet. They wouldn’t even be close. The tree is estimated to be over 400 years old. Isn’t that impressive? 400 years!
There were four main trunks coming off of the tree and a bit of a well in the center. I suppose, over the many years, the rainwater settled in that little valley and slowly rotted the base. Our neighbors, whose property this tree is actually on, are very careful people and had an arborist check the tree regularly because of its massive size. He thought the tree was quite healthy. Which it was, really, but for the center of that massive base which had rotted.
Sunday morning my parents came by for a visit and had to tell me my driveway was blocked and this tree had fallen. What a surprise, I had no idea! Dad and I took a closer look and saw the split that went all the way though the base of the tree. It was clear the other portion of the tree would likely fall. However, when this portion fell, it would hit a series of power lines overhead. This was really scary and we called the power company immediately. It took about four hours for the emergency team to get out here but as soon as they saw what was going on, they shut off the power to that line.
Within the hour, they had a team of tree trimmers out to the site. I felt badly about these guys having to work on a Sunday afternoon but was very grateful they were there. It felt even worse to see them chopping the tree up, bit by bit. We watched them work for quite a while. Neighbors were coming out and lamenting the loss of this enormous shade tree.
The tree trimmers were actually still working in the dark when we went to bed Sunday night. This morning we walked up the driveway to see how it looked. They had done a great job of trying to clear pathways so we and the neighbors could get in and out of our properties. There is still much work to be done however. It is astounding how much wood and debris are up there all from the one tree.
In the picture above one can see the close proximity from the tree stump, on the left, to the power pole, on the right. It was really a dangerous situation one the tree was found to be at risk of falling. Now that the danger has been taken care of, my neighbors can be heard with chain saws trying to clear some of the wood. We are all comforted by the fact that nothing was damaged and no one was hurt by this. It surprises me how bothered I am by the loss of the tree, something that has been the landmark to our house all these years. When giving directions we always tell people to look for the massive oak at the top of our driveway. Now it isn’t there anymore. Something is always changing and right now, for us, it is the look of our neighborhood.
I’m always sad when a tree is lost, and amazed at how much it changes the look of the landscape. Back in my hometown, years ago now, there was a massive ice storm during the winter. Several of the trees in the yard of the house I grew up in were lost, and it completely changed the look of the place. So sad. I’m glad no one was hurt when the tree fell, or when the tree was removed.
It is a sad thing because the tree isn’t something we can just plant and replace. It was such a majestic tree. I remember when Julia was in preschool she loved looking for acorns and the little acorn ‘hats’ under the tree. 🙁
Wow! I am shocked that you don’t regularly have trees fall on your power lines! We do in the Northeast! I can count at least 5 times since i moved to this county that i have lost power for over a week because we had so many downed power lines.
It does happen frequently. But with the fire situation in California it becomes really scary. Our main concern was preventing fires. Power outages happen all. the. time. here!! We are just so fearful of fire having had so much devastation over the last four-five years or so. But it all ended up fine. Phew.
I’m sorry for the loss of the old massive Oak tree Bernie, but so thankful there was no injury nor property damage.
Thanks Jinger. Isn’t it hard to wrap your head around a tree standing in a spot for 400 years?? Really interesting to think about.
The tree may have fallen softly without you hearing its decent, but your words of loss speak for it. It is always sad to see an old tree fall. A few years back a terrible ice storm in the northeast took down a grove of towering white pines at my favorite outdoor place of reflection, Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge, NH. When next we visited in the summer, I felt devastated. They had cleared the fallen trees by then and the broken benches and it was just an open patch of rocky hillside. The non-denominational altar stood alone, untouched, with a few recently planted trees and bushes. When speaking with the caretaker at the site, she spoke of the terrible feeling of loss when she first saw the fallen cathedral trees that cold winter morning. After awhile she said that she had come to understand that God had wanted to open the hillside to the sun. Two years later, my daughter was married there on a beautiful sunny afternoon and the place had never looked more beautiful and peaceful to me. Sometimes the passing of old trees and the changing landscape marks a period of growth and re-birth. May you soon feel the joy of new beginnings and may these lead you to a place of peace … {{{{{hugs}}}}} <3 Pat
What a wonderful story Pat. Thank you for sharing it. I would love to see a picture sometime – of the place she got married. So sweet!
At 400 years old it probably didn’t fall, it just laid down quietly 🙂 That’s what I’d do if I made it to 400!
I’m sad to hear of the loss of such a beautiful, historical tree. When you think about what would have been happening at the time it was planted it really blows your mind. I wonder if they’d let you keep some of the wood to make a piece of (commemorative) furniture?
Haha – you are so funny!
But yes, thinking of what California was like 400 years ago, it wasn’t part of the United States – not anyone’s territory. Sooo interesting!
So sad at the loss of such a beautiful old tree. We’ve lost several large trees on our property over the last 40 years. It’s always sad and takes time to adjust to the change. Glad no one was hurt during the fall. ❤️
So sad! Great that you were able to have it taken care of! I’m about read to lose three elderly but once beautiful willows, and I’m heartsick
I get that. We have a small grouping of Aspens on our property and they are not healthy. It is disappointing because they have such gorgeous color in the fall. 🙁
That is sad, it is going to be an adjustment to the new open space. But safety first!
For sure. We are happy with the way the power company responded and how quickly it was taken care of.
Oh Bernie! I’m sorry about the loss of your tree. Thank goodness no one was hurt and the power company was able tocome out and take the rest of it down. It’s going to be an adjustment for sure, but maybe you could plant something there that will last just as long. Do you think your hubby would be willing to make something from the wood? A nice little table or something would at least allow you to keep the memory close. Hope you and your neighbors adjust to your new view soon!
I do like the idea of keeping a bit of the wood. Even enough to make a bowl? I am sure Ray will do something like that. Funny how we get attached to certain things?
So sad to see a tree that old go, but what that tree must have been through in 400 years! We lost the huge oak tree in our back yard when hurricane Michael came through in October. It uprooted the whole thing & it’s still laying there because it’s so big. My husband started cutting on it & messed up the chainsaw. My parents also lost the big oak in their front yard which was the tree I got married under.
It is amazing how much work it is to chop up a huge oak. Our chainsaw isn’t big enough to do more than the smaller branches. It is going to take a huge saw to deal with this! Sorry to hear about the tree you were married under. 🙁
Hoping there are some woodturners in your area who can take some of the wood and turn beautiful objects from them … oak is not always the most favored wood for turning, but my husband has made some wonderful bowls and hollow forms using oak (southern). If there is a guild in your area, you might want to give them a call . . . knowing that some of the wood can be re-purposed helps soften the loss.
I was thinking the same thing. We don’t have a local guild but I did put an ad on Craigslist to see if someone would like to do some woodworking with them. Hoping to get someone to respond to that. Thanks Julie. 🙂
So sorry that the other trunks were not able to be saved! It is too bad that they didn’t just cut up the part that fell.
That is what I was hoping for Jean. But there was too much rot in the base of the tree. So unfortunate. Hope you are doing well and enjoying summer!
Wow. That is quite a bit of excitment.
Wow…that was quite a tree. Sorry it didn’t survive but glad it didn’t hit anything or anyone.
Wow… I feel the same about losing trees. We had to cut several on our back acreage because they were diseased and blocked the view of the trains. The diseases they had could be transferred to other non-infected trees, so it was a preservation move. Plus, we planted 5 new trees in the front to mitigate the loss.
Old growth is so hard to see go. We have had so many wind storms the past year, I always think we are done loosing big trees on the island, then another one goes. I am glad no one was hurt, but it is sad. I
So glad everyone was safe and no homes were harmed!