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<DIV><FONT size=4>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Lady Runa of The Thundering Herd</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>-------------original message----------------</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Baron Brian wrote:</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV>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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> 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
<SPAN>reign</SPAN> 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.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Brian</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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