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Monday, 4 February 2019

In Praise Of Old Wood

The snow and frost departed this morning, leaving in their wake muddy paths, wet grass and puddles. As I slithered along the forgotten lane I spied an old friend still lying on the field-edge. This old tree has been here for several years and is slowly returning to the earth from whence it came. At some time men came with saws and removed some of the branches, but they abandoned the task and left the bulky trunk behind. Now it's home for beetles and spiders. Various fungi have moved in and increasingly plants are growing from the decaying wood.

I made some photos of its contorted, rotting form some years ago and couldn't resist having another go today. Here are a few photos - intimate portraits or small landscapes - of old wood.


















As you can see from some photos someone has tried to set fire to part of the old tree at some time but they've scarcely made any impression other than blackening some of it. If I remember I'll try to come back in Summer to see just what plants have managed to colonise the old wood.


Take care.




21 comments:

  1. It is very good to see this old tree providing habitat and safe havens, food for insects and returning nutrients to the soil - exactly the way nature intended.

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  2. Beautiful and inspiring photos, thanks!

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  3. Wonderful photos of the old tree.

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  4. Oh, my, I love these. I love the lines, the colors...the texture in that first shot...and I like seeing new life emerging from it.

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  5. Awesome work on these photos.

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  6. I just saw your blog on Rosie’s blog and came for a visit. Those tree photos are excellent and so clear, one can feel the wood without touching it.

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  7. Cool up-close shots of the old tree trunk. Here in the Pacific NW, old rotting trees are called "nurse logs" because the decaying wood creates soil for new plants. The plants (and little trees) grow right out of the old logs.

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  8. Rotting wood become a home for all hoast of instects and fungi and the odd reptile liveing under it

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  9. Great photos. Fascinating to see how the wood changes as it decays and also what other life it supports in its gnarled and fragile bark and fractured centre:)

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  10. Fascinating! Love the patterns that decay brings. Picture #5 is great! I can think of several old logs or still-standing trees that look similar.

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  11. There's so many fascinating patterns and structures in there

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  12. Such an old beautiful tree.

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  13. Wonderful photos of the old wood. Some of them look like abstract paintings.

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  14. I love the name Fair Maids...I would feel like I was in fairyland if I were there. I would be telling Roger to 'Look!' 'Look!'

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  15. How wonderful that this one time old beauty is now host to new life before it becomes one with the earth again John. I look forward to seeing it in summer ✨

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  16. The patterns chaotic and some predictable show there is always some to discover in nature if one takes the time to find them.

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  17. Excellent photos - great mix of colours, patterns and textures.

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  18. Hi John - great photos ... delightful to see. Nursery timber I call it ... and I'm sure you'll find some new ones in the summer and see lots of creepy crawlies around - cheers HIlary

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