A walk in the woods

This is an old maple, near the beech, that similarly has been open grown, and is now falling down. Do you remember the saying "You can't see the forest for the trees?" Some days I can't see the trees for the forest - but when I look around it's simply amazing at what nature has given us.Add caption

This old beech exists in the small bush lot where I walk my dogs nearly every day. It belongs to a friend. I was inspired to look at the older trees by another blog - in which the fellow had taken pictures of a fallen giant - an enormous tree that must have been several hundred years old.

This tree is what would be called by many an open grown tree and is probably about 300 years old - existing on the edge of a farmer's field as part of the hedge row. There are a few other trees of similar size with short trunks. This magnificent old beech is about 10 to 12 feet high before the many branches spread out and it has a huge crown that must be at least 40 feet in diameter.

The dogs enjoy the walks and wait patiently while I take photographs, or just look at the various plants and trees and enjoy the quiet or the bird calls. Occasionally we've run across wild turkeys, porcupines, deer tracks, coyote scat, chipmunks, squirrels, blue jays, ravens and raccoons. All a delight - except perhaps the porcupines who have three times now reminded the dogs they are not to be messed with.

Spirit looks for porcupines and squirrels up the tree

Bliss waits on the path to continue
our walk,
wondering what Spirit is watching