A Forest Walk

During this pleasantly sunny morning, I was mostly dead heading while Jackie continued with her general garden maintenance.

After lunch I posted https://derrickjknight.com/2021/08/07/a-knights-tale-12-the-night-of-the-panther/

We had been promised light showers for the afternoon, and this is how it began, so my Chauffeuse drove me to the Rhinefield Ornamental Drive and parked in one of the designated car parks while I took a walk. The rain kept coming, but it was mild and sporadic enough for me to set off for twenty minutes each way, crunching along a gravel path and pine cones carpeting the forest floor

through the majestic giant redwoods and their neighbours

some of which, having fallen, would take their time returning to the soil. In answer to Yvonne comment below, I have discovered that “Managing forest land often generates lots of woody branches, pieces of trees and other loose woody material — slash in other words — from tree harvesting or thinning. While many landowners and managers look upon this material as a disposal dilemma, it also is a rich, and frequently overlooked, opportunity for to enhance wildlife habitat. Arranging slash materials into piles can provide birds, mammals and other wildlife in the forest with the food, water, space and cover they need.” (https://washingtondnr.wordpress.com/2017/02/14/not-just-another-stack-of-dead-branches-habitat-piles-for-wildlife/)

I believe Forestry Commission volunteers make the stacks we see.

At first there were many other groups of walkers taking a similar route.

This was to change in a moment, as quiet adult voices and shrill cries of children were drowned by the increasing crescendo of pattering precipitation misting the trees,

puddling the path, and running down my specs and my camera lens.

This was at my turn round point and continued, soaking me to the skin beneath my allegedly showerproof jacket, until my mud-spattered sandals, sans socks, reached the car. Just one family of three passed me in the rush to get out of the rain. The mother informed me that she had wet pants. “Is that all?” was my reply.

With all fresh ingredients, Jackie repeated yesterday’s menu for dinner tonight, with which we drank the same beverages.

62 comments

  1. Wow, those trees are huge and beautiful, Derrick. I wonder how old they are? Sorry that you got a good soaking!

  2. Trees and roots and logs and rain — all part of the forest ‘experience!’ I love the photos in this set, along with the alliterative dialog. A great post!

  3. What a wonderful forest of magnificent trees! I think you enjoyed being there in the rain. I certainly would, in the summertime at least.

    1. Two giant sequoias are 8-9 metres in girth. The redwoods are about 5. All were planted in the 19th century. Thanks for asking and making me look it up, Chrissy 🙂

  4. Just being with those trees and magnificent bark brings me into a place of stillness and appreciation. Thank you for this connection Derrick ???

  5. Is there someone who takes care of this portion of forest? I ask because I was curious as to who would have made those branches stacks.

    1. The Forestry Commission does so. “Managing forest land often generates lots of woody branches, pieces of trees and other loose woody material — slash in other words — from tree harvesting or thinning. While many landowners and managers look upon this material as a disposal dilemma, it also is a rich, and frequently overlooked, opportunity for to enhance wildlife habitat. Arranging slash materials into piles can provide birds, mammals and other wildlife in the forest with the food, water, space and cover they need.” Thank you for making me look this up, Yvonne. I am adding it to the post.

  6. I hope getting soaked despite the waterproof jacket has not affected your health, Derrick.
    The photos showing tree trunk textures and intricate roots are fantastic, especially the black and whites.

  7. Those trees look otherworldly and majestic, and yet they are the older inhabitants of the planet, and there is an order to the world unbeknownst to us, as confirmed by the communion of rain reaching the expectant arboreal limbs. We wish we knew what those whispers meant. You have captured the magnitude and moments exceedingly well.

  8. “Is that all?” made me snort-laugh! Great response, Derrick! 😀
    Love the B&W’s of the trees…they have such beautiful character and textures!
    We used to live just a few minutes from Muir Woods in Northern California and spend a lot of time with the giant redwoods! One time a group of us spread around the base of a HUGE tree…with 10 of us trying to clasp hands and circle the tree…we barely made it! Quite the trunk! 😮
    (((HUGS))) 🙂

  9. Beautiful forest–and it looks like a lovely walk till the downpour. I like the downpour photo, but I particularly like the first gallery and the photo of the tree that looks like it’s reaching toward another tree. ?

  10. I like your forest pictures, there’s just something almost magical about trees.
    I recently enjoyed a woodland walk too, no showers though, just a hot sunshine so I was glad to have the shade of the trees and the occasional bench on which to take a rest!

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