We've both looked at this and can't decide if it's a low tree that has been "trimmed" or a really, really, really thick bush that suffered the same fate. Or maybe we just haven't had enough coffee yet. xoxoxoxo
It's a big old willow tree, Savannah. Around here they are pollarded to provide lots of new growth which is then harvested. In olden days the willow withies (together with hazel spars taken the same way) were used for the wattle in wattle and daub walls, but now they're mostly used for making woven fencing. The smaller stuff is used in basket making and the thicker branches for charcoal burning. A really useful tree, the willow. xoxoxoxo
Weirdo. In this form it looks like it belongs in a giant fish tank or ocean. I have always loved Weeping Willows and little D has caught my love for them. Now if he sees one out the window he sings our little "Weeping Willow(willow willow)" musical alarm. :)
I feel kind of sorry for it. The phrase "yeoman service" comes to mind. Poor old thing, trying so hard to please, then WHACK! it just gets chopped up again.
Hee hee, Shan. Weeping willows are indeed beautiful, but this is a crack (or grey) willow; a giant unkempt tangle of grey leaves and gnarly bark. When left untended they remind me of Tolkien's scary Old Man Willow. Brr …
Good point, Petrea. Though it's not much different to mowing a lawn, except that we get far more useful products from it than just a bag of grass clippings. Willows love to grow from old wood and - like bonsai - a pollarded tree will far outlive a natural one. Though of course it might not enjoy life so much. Hey ho … there's no pleasing some trees.
Wonderful shapes, forms, textures in this photo. And very interesting about how these trees are used! I haven't thought about Tolkien's Old Man Willow in quite a while. I used to have nightmares about the Ring Wraiths.
8 comments:
We've both looked at this and can't decide if it's a low tree that has been "trimmed" or a really, really, really thick bush that suffered the same fate. Or maybe we just haven't had enough coffee yet. xoxoxoxo
It's a big old willow tree, Savannah. Around here they are pollarded to provide lots of new growth which is then harvested. In olden days the willow withies (together with hazel spars taken the same way) were used for the wattle in wattle and daub walls, but now they're mostly used for making woven fencing. The smaller stuff is used in basket making and the thicker branches for charcoal burning.
A really useful tree, the willow.
xoxoxoxo
I'm stumped.
Hee hee hee!
Weirdo. In this form it looks like it belongs in a giant fish tank or ocean.
I have always loved Weeping Willows and little D has caught my love for them. Now if he sees one out the window he sings our little "Weeping Willow(willow willow)" musical alarm. :)
I feel kind of sorry for it. The phrase "yeoman service" comes to mind. Poor old thing, trying so hard to please, then WHACK! it just gets chopped up again.
Hee hee, Shan. Weeping willows are indeed beautiful, but this is a crack (or grey) willow; a giant unkempt tangle of grey leaves and gnarly bark. When left untended they remind me of Tolkien's scary Old Man Willow. Brr …
Good point, Petrea. Though it's not much different to mowing a lawn, except that we get far more useful products from it than just a bag of grass clippings.
Willows love to grow from old wood and - like bonsai - a pollarded tree will far outlive a natural one. Though of course it might not enjoy life so much. Hey ho … there's no pleasing some trees.
Wonderful shapes, forms, textures in this photo. And very interesting about how these trees are used! I haven't thought about Tolkien's Old Man Willow in quite a while. I used to have nightmares about the Ring Wraiths.
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