[Ravensfort] Fw: The Dreaming tree that was, may it's history live in our hearts.
Mike Gamber
lococnc at consolidated.net
Sun Aug 23 20:44:33 PDT 2009
What kind of Oak was the Dreaming tree?
---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:41:15 -0500
>From: "Sher M" <runa.herd at earthlink.net>
>Subject: [Ravensfort] Fw: The Dreaming tree that was, may it's history live in our hearts.
>To: "Ravens Fort" <ravensfort at lists.ansteorra.org>
>
> As I drove onto the site today, I crossed the culvert, windows up,
> music and a/c on. I saw and heard the Dreaming Tree's last trunk fall
> to the ground. Slowly and with great dignity it seemed to lay down,
> not fall down with a very audible sound. An era of Raven's Fort ended
> today. Irial's son Conner helped to collect acorns. He planned on
> taking some of them home with him to plant in a flower pot. He said
> since the big tree was gone he needed to grow a baby tree to take its
> place. Wise words from a very young man.
>
> I also collected some mistletoe that was on the tree. I'm going to
> preserve it where it will always be green and remind people of the
> Dreaming Tree.
>
> Lady Runa of The Thundering Herd
> -------------original message----------------
> Baron Brian wrote:
>
> 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 trunk, 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 too 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 lose 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 23rd. We sized up the
> best spots to cut and planed the best route to lay the tree down. It
> took alot 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 trunk 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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