What are the Chances? Falling Trees
In our side yard, we have the (remaining of two) biggest poplar(s) that anyone I know has ever seen. It is at least 100 feet high (30 metres) tall. Muriel, who lives next door, is 93 and grew up in the house where we live. She tells us that those trees were big when she was a child. Another family member told us that the fishing boats used to use the trees to guide them into the harbour that is just over the hill.
But poplar trees don’t last forever, and over the past 13 years, we lost all of one tree, in pieces, until we finally cut down the dead trunk. Sad to say, but the remaining tree is going to follow soon.
Two years ago, in the aftermath of Hurricane Arthur, a large limb came down, breaking a window on the house and narrowly missing doing more damage.
Then, near the end of October another big windstorm took down another large (double) branch of the tree, this time sending it in the opposite direction, across the driveway.
But I think you’ll agree that the chances of limbs coming down from that tree in a windstorm are pretty good, so what’s this post about?
Sunday morning, we awoke to the tree down on our property and Tuesday evening, I read in His Whole Life by Elizabeth Hay:
Less than an hour later, (the storm) was over. They could see the near trees, the shoreline, the first island, the far shore, and in that moment the biggest tree of all came crashing down less than thirty feet away. . . The shoreline wasn’t shoreline anymore, it was fallen tree.
It was a giant hemlock that fell in the book, but I was struck by the description because that’s how it was: The driveway wasn’t driveway anymore, it was fallen tree.
So what are the chances? Ever have life and your reading collide?
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We had a Laurel Oak in front of a house we bought in a nearby town. It was over 50 yrs. old and huge like your tree. It was near the end of it’s life cycle, and cost us $5,000 to have it cut down.
Oh, Vicki – that’s what I’m afraid of, In fact, I’m not sure I can get anyone in the area to take it on at any cost. And I’m sorry you lost your tree. 🙁
OMG, it happens to me all the time. Sorry for the loss of your trees. It is always so hard on me to lose a tree. Happy you did not suffer more damage or hurt.
Thanks, Judy! I hate to lose a tree, too. 🙁
I’ve never heard of a poplar living long enough to get that big! That’s impressive; almost as impressive of real life and reading meshing up so perfectly!
Their life span (and their size) has certainly complicated their identification, Lisa. They’re unusual for their species, that’s for sure.
Interesting! Isn’t it amazing when randomly reading something that then coincides with real life? It did happen to me just recently so it’s already funny that you posted about this phenomenon just now. I was engrossed in a book and didn’t really pay any attention the the radio that was on in the other room until something the announcer said was exactly the phrase my eyes were reading in my book. It was quite extraordinary!
Wow – that’s even more “real-time” than my coincidence, Trish. Amazing!
How sad about your trees. I have to believe that there are more out there that we don’t know about living long and beautiful lives 🙂
I suppose there are always new trees growing, Betty, but I still prefer to keep the old ones if I can.
Serendipity! Thanks for sharing your post. Sorry about your trees!
Thanks, Gilion. We are pretty well reconciled to losing these old trees a piece at a time. 🙁