The reflective season...

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

...when the days are shorter and time available to ruminate abounds (even if bovine ways don't favor you).

Friends, associates, and acquaintances -- bound together by accident, purpose, or soil conditions -- there is some spoken or silent purpose by which is reached common ground.

Good tidings of this Christmas season to all, and may the New Year bring unforeseen bounties and treasures.

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Calvert City, KY(Zone 7a)

Good evening, VV,
Thank you, and a lovely picture, too. Looks like my memories of Scott County and G'town College.
Thank you, from western KY.

Long Beach, CA(Zone 10a)

VERY cool picture !

(Zone 7a)

Well said, VV. Thank you. And many returns.

Minneapolis, MN(Zone 5a)

You have a way with words, VV. You're a very eloquent writer.

What type of trees are in the picture? I'm guessing they're hickory or very tall oaks?

Northumberland, United Kingdom(Zone 9a)

Look like oaks of some sort to me, probably in the white oak group.

Resin

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Thanks (and you're welcome), Sharran. Glad to offer current images from your old haunts. Give a shout if you pass by this way (about 6 miles east of town).

Thanks, Jasper, and it was that day.

You're welcome, kwanjin, and thanks.

tl³ and Resin:

You're each half right (half nuts); foreground behind fence on left is Fraxinus quadrangulata (blue ash) and to its right is Quercus macrocarpa (bur oak). To the far right is another blue ash, and behind it is a much younger allée of pin oaks flanking the road.

Bur oak and blue ash are two of the patriarchal sentinel tree species emblematic of the central KY Bluegrass region landscape. They epitomize - nay - lignify my thoughts above.

Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a)

Well put, VV.

And a Peaceful season and successful new year to one and all.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Nice sentiments and cool photo, VV.

Chicago, IL(Zone 5b)

They resemble the walking talking tree giants from "The Lord of the Rings" films. Thanks for posting the photo.

Holland, OH(Zone 5b)

If setting that lovely photo as my computer screen background constitutes unauthorized use, then consider me guilty. The sentiment is equally enriching.

Calvert City, KY(Zone 7a)

VV,
East as in close to Cynthiana? or maybe Bourbon County? It is all lovely countryside, all of it. And I hope you will share more pictures with us. fun to see it all again.

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Thanks, Lefty, VG, bacarney, and snapple.

Sharran:

East as towards Paris. The planes fly overhead here. If they keep altitude, trees like these are pleased.

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Kalispell, MT(Zone 4b)

Ahh I can see that oak as the next barrel of Chianti. Probably good smoke left in that tree. Merry christmas VV long time no see. Tell me what cedar and mahogany tree this, my current project, is from. 1930 old town canoe owned by my grandfather that I am restoring and converting into a racing canoe.

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Calvert City, KY(Zone 7a)

Ahhhh, lovely old oak.
Are you familiar with the remains of Elmendorf Farm? Guess it would depend on how long you have been in that area. Your photos are bringing back all kinds of old memories of GC and UK, I probably traipsed all over Scott, Harrison, Fayette, and Bourbon counties in the middle part of the glorious 60's.

Sofer, that is a gorgeous canoe. You taking that with you on your next Alaskan trip?

Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a)

That's a gem, Sofer.

Atmore, AL(Zone 8b)

I always think of Bur oak as a low branched wide spreading tree (like Live oak). I guess if they're forced to they will grow tall and straight?

Appleton, WI(Zone 5a)

Steve - I think a motor on it would help your chances.

Oak trees are great winter photo subjects.

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Long Beach, CA(Zone 10a)

VV...I think you should enter that photo of the trees in next years photo contest. I've looked at it about about 300 times ! You really have a "good eye" !

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Beautiful canoe Steve.

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Sofer:

The old fellows are probably hollow, but steadfast. Their greatest foes favor four feet.

Your cedar may very well be Thuja plicata; mahogany - I know not. You plan to take that one up to Athabasca?

Al:

Is that the WI native Brrr oak?

E-guy:

Careful - you'll be accused of "reading the landscape".

The character of low branched wide spreading versus long clear bole high branched helps interpret the surrounding environment that these old trees grew up in. This deserves a thread of its own -- look for one coming to a forum near you!

Jasper:

I realize that it can be long, cold, and dark in CA winters -- but 300 times? Maybe a midwestern vacation (where there's plenty to see and do outdoors this time of year) is in order.

Sharran:

Am I familiar with the remains of Elmendorf Farm? A little...

My former career allowed me to manage the landscape for a significant segment of that historic property. Got to know the old dairy barn really well, and I wished I had the time and resources to have explored the cattle tunnel. Gainesway, Greentree, and Whitney farms were my bailiwick in the early 90s. Changed somewhat since the '60s, I'd wager. Widening Paris Pike was not the least of the impacts.

More from the daily trek...

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Kalispell, MT(Zone 4b)

Wow some beautiful Oaks! Keep them coming. I miss my Michigan big oaks. None here in Montana.
VV: Yes this one does the stretch on the N. Sask R to south end of Lk Winnipeg. I start this June for a month of sailing-paddling. I figure it should be easy down river and down wind. Yes!
This is one of my old fellows

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Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

I love oaks and wish there was one that would only reach about 15 - 20 feet! However, when my neighbor's 60+ feet oak 'waits' until my fall cleanup is done to drop all of its leaves, I have nothing but curses for that Quercus. Also, there is about a six or seven week period from November through December when those stubborn leaves block my solar panels for about an hour in mid-day. So how does one discreetly kill it without the neighbor knowing?!! Of course I would not really do it but was just curious.

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

I smell another new thread coming...oaks of modest means.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

And what about Quercicide??

Appleton, WI(Zone 5a)

I see plenty of red oaks growing in clay with a pH near 8 - they stay pretty small. Do you like yellow.LOL

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Change the pH, or invite your friendly neighborhood gypsy moths over for a party.

Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a)

For many, holding leaves into/through the winter is a plus.

Some states have laws about neighbors blocking "your sun". But I don't suppose your solar panels pre-existed his oak tree. I think your out of luck as there is always a grandfather clause.

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

I'd have to drop tons of lime from a airplane to cover the root area. Then, of course, I'd also be hitting most of my garden. I never liked grandfather clause.

Atmore, AL(Zone 8b)

Victor, why don't you try Quercus prinoides (Dwarf Chinkapin Oak)? I think it usually tops out around 20ft.

http://www.treetrail.net/quercus_prinoides.html

Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a)

I'd be forced to pave my driveway if it weren't for a grandfather clause. This, at the same time my town is screaming about unnecessary water run-off!

Lower Hudson Valley, NY(Zone 6b)

Thank you escambia - I'll check it out. Left - I was joking. Was referring to a grandpa named clause!

Saint Bonifacius, MN(Zone 4a)

LOL, victor !!

Tonasket, WA(Zone 5a)

VV really like your bare branch tree photos. No really old trees in my vicinity.

I am currently growing 6 varieties of Quercus, which is pretty good for this very alkaline soil. I planted a Q. macrocarpa, Burr Oak in 2002 at west edge of my garden. it has been the fastest growing of any of my Oaks.

Many years ago a friend of mine brought me a half dozen acorns from a trip to mid-west that he said was a white oak. I planted them and 5 germinated and grew. I planted 3 in 5 gal containers until I could decide what to do with them. Gave 3 away. kept one and planted 1 in downtown Tonasket near the street at City Hall. That was at least 30 years ago. By the time I moved here the one I had planted was too large to transplant so I don't have any. I should take a photo of the one down town, It is probably 25 feet tall, and full limbed.

Donna

Tonasket, WA(Zone 5a)

Steve that is a very interesting looking canoe. Bet you will have lots of fun with it next summer.

Donna

Kalispell, MT(Zone 4b)

I love oaks but always disliked the noise they created near my hunting tree. When I was young I relied on sound to notify me of the sneaky critters. But today some 40 years later I still go and sit up in that noisy oak tree every time I go home. It used to be a triple trunk that has grown together and some jerk cut down one of the trunks. Bummer.
Yes Donna wait till it is done them it will be beautiful. All cedar and mahogany.
My pin oak does well here in our soil and so does gamble oak. But we are relatively acidic in the top 18" below is alkaline Glacial Lake Missoula. You can see where I dug down into it to make this raised bed. White clay.

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Calvert City, KY(Zone 7a)

Sofer, that is a lovely place you have.

This is not such a great photo, but I love this old friend of mine. Nicest place to go to ponder and wonder, and hope I survive as well as this guy has. Beautiful, scars and all.

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Kalispell, MT(Zone 4b)

Sharran what is that prize tree?
My place is much better in the summer when the bed is done.

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Tonasket, WA(Zone 5a)

Steve is that a recent picture of your house. Don't think I ever saw that view before. And that will be a beautiful raised bed, Really great rocks.

Donna

Tonasket, WA(Zone 5a)

We were posting at the same time, so you answered my question, and is a lovely raised bed. D.

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