RIP Douglas Fir

I walked down the road to where our local nature conservationists (AKA "Metro") are busily clear cutting the property they recently purchased. It seems they want the area to be an "oak savannah", so they cut down all of the fir trees, underbrush and everything else in their path. They are now in the process of chipping said trees into sawdust. I found this sawn-off stump of a once beautiful fir (probably 40 or so years old) cut to the ground.

Then I noticed the cross. I am not the only one to mourn ... mother nature is crying right along with me.

Mika Uppa Tree - Again

I have never seen a cat so eager to climb trees. My mom says she must have gotten it from me, and I can remember climbing nearly every tree in the woods behind the house (in my younger years, of course!).

Mom says I was about 4 years old when she found me clinging to the very tip top of a tall fir tree, swinging back and forth. She says I about gave her a heart attack! I don't remember that, but I remember traveling with my family to Yellowstone (at about age 4) and climbing up the first tree I could find every time we stopped. I can remember my mom calling for me and someone else answering "she's probably uppa tree!"

Anyway, I caught Mika in yet another tree today, and just had to take her picture. Do you see why I love her so? Note the second cat, hot on her tail ... shortly after I snapped this picture, the combined weight of the cats (there was a third one, not in the picture -- also up the tree) dipped the branch and they all clambered off.