Trees as a weapon

Trees are powerful beings, both in their own right as a living entity but also in what they have contributed to humans over the millennium.  In the most basic form trees provide shelter and fuel for cooking and heat. This is true on the Ranch where parts of our homes are constructed from the wood in the forest and all winter long we only use firewood, once again gathered from around our home. Our farmhouse, which was originally the home of Jessie Herald, has a massive wood stove that came with the house. It is an Enterprise stove manufactured in Newfoundland. It is an elaborate and complicated stove, as it is connected to the forced air furnace and has numerous electronic controls. It took Brent and my father hours of work and much frustration to reconnect all the controls. In the end it all worked and the stove heats the house even on the coldest winter nights.

The Enterprise - manufactured in 1936

The forests on the Ranch have provided for the family since my great grandparents moved here in 1938. The forests were not actively logged for profit until the early 1960s. It was small scale logging with the money being used to benefit the families.

Eddy on his treasured bull dozer doing some logging.

I recently learned of a family in the Sunnybrae area that used trees as a way to seek revenge on a neighbor that they had taken a  disliking to. The incident took place many years ago now, but the story is that the family planted a long row of Willows to block their neighbor's view of the lake.  Willows are considered to be one of the fastest growing trees, 6-8 feet of growth in a year, but even so it was most likely over 5 years before the trees started to be effective in their purpose.

circa 1970s, the Willow trees in Sunnybrae that were planted as tool of revenge.

The same trees during highwater.  This year the lake is exceptionally high, going over the road in this area.

I believe that most people would see this as a stunning view rather than the act of revenge it was originally meant to be.  My father's Uncle Mico from Geneva in particular loved these Willow trees. Uncle Mico took the role of a father towards his nephews after the death of Henri Miege, his brother. Uncle Mico visited Eddy in the early 1970s, spending a few precious weeks together. Eddy had asked him to visit as he was very worried about my mother who had suffered a heart attack. Mico was a well respected Doctor in Geneva and Eddy called upon him for some assurance during this stressful time.

Overlooking Salmon Arm, Eddy, his Uncle Mico and Caroline.

2012, The Miege-Moffat family with Grandma Kathy at Aidan's graduation. The greatest revenge against those that harm you is happiness.

Are you ever afraid in the woods?

The winding dark paths, whispering trees,

So quickly we can imagine a cougar on a tree branch,

waiting.

A fall, and a long frozen wait,

hoping for a rescue.

What was home becomes dark and dangerous.

Such is the nature of life, trust no one but yourself.

We don’t like to hear that.

There is a web of life that holds us close, an energy that starts

in our own heart.

You will always be there.

Believe that and there is shelter, anchored down deep,

with purpose, faith in the journey,

fear fades, happiness moves in.

The waterfalls above Totem Pole Resort