Today’s Picture: 29 Aug 20

On By stuartakenIn Nature, Photography
The beech tree as it was before the storms.

After the wind and rain of the past few days, we were greeted by dry and occasionally sunny weather today. A few days ago I mentioned, in a comment on one of these posts, that a favourite tree of ours had suffered serious wind damage. The storms we have now are more violent and frequent due largely to the approaching climate emergency, which is throwing local weather into a much more volatile state. A couple of regular commenters were interested and concerned, so today we revisited the place on our walk, and I took pictures of the current state of this beech tree that stands sentinel to a stone quarry still occasionally used by the Forestry Commission, who manage the forest. I’ve included that picture here, along with one taken a couple of years ago, when the tree was in its prime.

The same tree after storm damage a few days ago.

If you’re visiting here, please be generous to those who can’t escape their own four walls at present, and share this widely on social media, so they can enjoy it. Thank you.

7 thoughts on “Today’s Picture: 29 Aug 20”

  1. Pingback: Today’s Picture: 29 Aug 20 | In the Net! – Stories of Life and Narcissistic Survival

    1. I think, in common with most places on the planet, Lynette, we’re suffering extremes of weather. When I joined Greenpeace way back in the 1980s they predicted this would be the effect of what was then called ‘global warming’. The fact it is now happening in such a way that it has become almost impossible to ignore should be a warning sign for all of us to change our damaging lifestyles, I think.
      Fortunately, the tree is well anchored and will probably outlive all of us!
      You keep safe and stay well.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Thank you.
        Yes, I agree. I remember those warnings, as well. I watched a piece today about the worsening hurricane season in the Caribbean, and I’ve seen the effects of the warming in the north. The pandemic’s silver lining has forced a drop in pollution levels, but I know it’s not enough.

        I think that we will go back to regular activities soon after the pandemic is over and I think the end is likely coming fairly soon. University of Alberta has found a very effective covid treatment (they are going directly to human trials because the drug has many years of use in veterinary medicine) that may be available in months. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827155006.htm

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Good news about the potential treatment, Lynette, but I agree that humanity is most likely to return to the old ways once the pandemic is seen as being under control. It generally takes a serious catastrophe for us to tkae note of warnings, unfortunately.

          Liked by 1 person

    1. My suspicion, Noelle, is that it will repair the damage to its trunk and put out more growth over the coming years. Given 20 or 30 years, a mere blink in the life of such a sentinel, it will be difficult for new eyes to detect the damage.

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