[Ravensfort] The Dreaming tree that was, may it's history live in our hearts.

[John Reuter]

To just tell you that the Dreaming Tree is no more due to nature and the harsh conditions it creates during droughts, lightning and storms would not be right. To tell you the story of how it got its name, how we enjoyed it's shade the how it will be missed may help to put in to focus what we have truly lost.
 
 Shortly after we were made a Barony, the site owner informed us that he wished to build a house on the location we used to hold our events. This was our old site near the road that leads to our current site. It was a shock to us to loose the site but the site owner so liked the way it had been taken care of that it was the perfect location for a ranch house for his family. He in turn gave us a much larger location to have fun with on the agreement that we take care of the land just as we did the old location. With a new site needing work we commenced to clearing brush, mowing and thinning those pesky pine trees. Allot of work went in to cleaning the site up for our first few event. People were allowed to pick out semi permanent camp sites that they could use each time they attended an event at the site. It was not too long after this that Sir William the Bear came to our site for an event.  It was during his and Catherine
 Blackrose's first reign as King and Queen of Ansteorra. He spoke with Sir Kief the land agent and asked if he could camp near a large oak tree that was near the list field. He camped there with his family and during this event I believe he named the oak tree the Dreaming Tree. There is more to that story, so I will save that for another time. So Sir William the bear had a sign made and painted the letters purple to match his colors. He had a special bond with the tree and soon every body knew that was Bear's tree. Many times did he camp under that tree and it gave him shelter and shade. Many fighters have placed their seats under the tree to watch the tourneys and lists that played out over the years. For nineteen years this mighty oak did serve our Kingdom and give its shelter and shade to any who needed it. It was covered in spanish moss in its early years and after a bad drought lost the moss and came back even stronger
 and greener than before. It has seen the best of events and has with stood the worst storms in its time that caused some of our events to be postponed to later dates. It has always been there for us. One year ago a Hurricane named Ike came through the Coastal Region and it stretched its powerful winds deep in to the lands of the Southern Region. It caused much damage to our site. The mighty oak was pushed to its limits and was weakened Our Defender event was canceled due to the damage the Hurricane caused many good folk were cleaning up and recovering form it. we just could not hold the event. A week later one of the three main arms of the tree fell. We felt that it was weakened by the winds and could not keep its limb any more, During the winter it was discussed what to do. and the Barony planed to work on it after the dear hunting season was over to prepare for the spring event. Spring arrived and soon green buds started to grow and
 leaves were growing and it looked healthy despite the lost limb. It was trimmed up and cleaned  and after our spring event we removed it from the tree in hopes that it would heal. The Dreaming tree Continued to grow. but a drought began to cause the land to suffer the ground began to crack and grass was turning tan and brown. after a few months the land was in bad shape. The Dreaming tree was still green, But a small crack began to develop between the two arms that were left. this crack was unnoticed until the barony arrived in late may to prepare for the fall event. While examining the tree the members of the barony discussed what could be done. It was in July that we had to make a choice and to mend it with cables and braces or cut it down. While we discussed our options and planed the tree suffered through a good sized storm and with the driving rain that came the crack grew bugger and was all the way to the truck. the tree was
 about to fall. It was strong enough to stand with out a wind but the chance of it not falling during an event was to great. After much discussion and counseling with the members of the populace the decision to cut the Dreaming Tree was made. August 22, 2009 after 20 years of service to our barony the sad time came that the Dreaming tree was tired and was unable to stand with out help. We did not want to loose such a mighty oak and my heart grew heavy as I thought of what we must do. We cut up a few pines that needed to go and decided to work on the Dreaming Tree on the next day the 23. We sized up the best spots to cut and planed the best route to lay the tree down. It took allot of effort to will my hands to do the first cut but deep in my heart I knew we had to do it. first the notch, then the cut. I was being watched by Lord Vlod not Vlod and he documented the falling of the Dreaming Tree. As I cut the truck was solid and I
 felt it creek and soon a solid CRACK.and I stopped. I backed away and it cracked and popped slowly and with some small effort it very slowly started it fall. As it swayed with the slight breeze It soon bucked under its weight and fell, Thunder and dust surrounded us and the ground shook like a heard of a thousand horsed came stampeding in. Then it was silent. No none said a word until some one sighed and remarked how it fell so hard. I then focused on the second limb. The power of the first limb was so fresh in my mind I summoned the will to cut the notch and worked my way around the truck to the side. After much cutting and a crack and pop here and there the second limb fell much like the first. and then It was time to to to work limbing the fallen oak that once was. I took no pride in cutting down the Dreaming tree and as I type these words a deep sense of guilt wells up inside me every time I think of what I did. I know the reasons were
 right and the site owner sees just another old oak on his ranch but I see much more than that. We all loved the Dreaming Tree and when we miss the shade that it once gave us I hope we remember the times we once shared under it. I asked Lady Runa to collect acorns from the tree to give out as site tokens for Crown Tourney. I thought that those who know our site and remember the Dreaming Tree would want a part of it. I know its small but it felt like the thing to do.   I am sorry but the Dreaming Tree is not with us any more.
 
Brian
 
 
 
 


 
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