Time for a Cuppa!

The Magazine

For all the Family

Trees
By
Jim McConnell

Trees, yes that what I said TREES. I find my self standing in the middle of our garden looking upward at a row of twenty four Beech trees. They are well over seventy five feet tall and at least one hundred years old. To me they are living breathing things, planted a century or more ago by some man, who today has no head-ache.

He planted them for some reason, a reason none really knows. I guess, by the straight line along the edge of our garden, it was as a field boundary. Not so many years ago our 'garden' was a field with sheep grazing beside these wondrous giants. Perhaps he just simply wanted to keep sheep in by planting a Beech hedge, and let them grow.

This is not, I hasten to add, my first time of marvelling at trees. As a boy I was drawn to trees where I and my friend would climb until we reached the point when we ran out of branches to hold our weight or nerve, usually nerve. I vividly remember on one occasion thinking what a beautiful view trees have from up here and how it was little wonder birds built nests up high the view of the countryside is great.

The trees in my garden seem to house a whole flock of birds, some small breeds such as black birds and speckled Thrush and some larger bullies like the grey backed Crow. Strangely the Crow are located at the top and the Thrush lower down. As usual the bullies, with fewer brains, go for the good view and the smart ones let them. Just maybe they know when autumn arrives and the trees shed their summer foliage, just how exposed it is up there.

I take a closer look; I can see a whole multitude of insects, evidence of mice and all other manner of creatures living on and very close to trees. The trees give shelter not only to all these who live on them, but also to my own house. They shelter us from the wind and rain above the ground, they bind the loose soil under the ground to help there too If it was not for our row of trees my home would be battered by the north wind and we would be a lot worse off.

I stand here and think that if these trees could think as I do, how trivial would humans seem to them? Humans are around for such a short time, they are so tiny and frail and provide shelter to very few if any animals.

We humans stand and wonder at mountains and rivers, how powerful or huge they are... Put trees amongst these wonders. Tall and strong they weather all the storms Mother Nature cares to cast at us, protecting us and wildlife from her elements. A little gratitude to trees puts life in focus and us onto a better perspective… besides; they are just such beautiful things…

Trees … yes that's what I said TREES

Jim McConnell (not a Tree 'hugger', just an admirer of such things)

*******

Would you like to place one of your stories here?

If you do, then send it to me by email

Note: No part of this story can be reproduced in any way without the author's written permission. All rights remain with the author.

Christmas Stories

And the greatest gift is love By Katherine Chandler

Trees By Jim McConnell

Christmas on the farm

Not long now By Jim McConnell

You can give it away By Miriam Capps