December 24, 2019

The Big Oak...

The Big Oak

... is not that tall, but it has amazing horizontality. It got that way by growing up without crowding from other trees. Nowadays, people make a point of removing any trees that would crowd it. It won the horizontality game on its own long ago, but we the people of today like what it did and want to preserve it for our gratification.

39 comments:

traditionalguy said...

A trophy tree.

Rick.T. said...

They have to remove the trees by hand because they won’t let nature do the job anymore. See prairie savanna ecology.

rhhardin said...

Bonsai Oak.

Tommy Duncan said...

It looks like the wind gave it a haircut. Is it a burr oak? Burr oaks tend to spread out.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

From the photo it looks like the tree has been topped (main trunk cut). Probably from lightening and that is why it grows so laterally.

PJ said...

I don't want to fat-shame a tree, but the poor thing is all out of proportion. The photographer had to extend its trunk skyward by getting just the right angle on a branch and then crop much of its horizontality out of frame just to make it presentable. Nonetheless, we're proud to have rendered this assistance to Gaia.

rcocean said...

First manspreading, now Oak spreading.

rcocean said...

Not tree related. But the Christian Post editor has now quit because he doesn't want to be on "Team Trump". Maybe he can go to Christianity Today and join "Team Pelosi".

rcocean said...

And speaking of James Bond. Did you know Ian Fleming hated Conifers? He thought they were UnEnglish and vastly preferred the "Mighty Oak". I don't hate them, by Conifers are dull compared to Deciduous trees

gspencer said...

Being gangly is the distinctive hallmark of the live oak tree,

https://www.google.com/search?q=live+oak+tree&client=firefox-b-1-d&sxsrf=ACYBGNTk22BKu0X3ogUnMIggFIRN9vGyhw:1577209691469&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNu5X7687mAhVwQt8KHWyUATkQ_AUoAXoECBMQAw&biw=1151&bih=856

mockturtle said...

Merry Christmas and a very blessed New Year to all. Even the trolls!

Roughcoat said...

The Jurupa Oak in CA is over 13,000 years old.

And a human head weights 8 pounds. Unless you're Adam Schiff, then it weights 4 pounds.

Curious George said...

You want to see some great old oaks Professor, Odana Hills, where you x-country ski. My favorite is the one smack dab in the middle of the long 16th's fairway. I haven't been out there for a while, I know they lost a few from storms.

Ken B said...

Weaponized horizontality.

narciso said...



A response to that:

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/a-response-to-the-editor-of-christianity-today/

Beasts of England said...

‘How about you, Jimmy - you an oak man?’

tim maguire said...

If the tree had the capacity to form an opinion, it be totally down with serving our gratification.

Unless it’s lonely.

Browndog said...

It looks to me like the top was sheared off in a storm long ago.

Oaks are amazing. You can't kill them.

narciso said...

Re diamonds as alluded in the other thread, they were trying to sneak some real world doings into what was ian fleminggs reoorton the diamond industry, there was suspicion howard hughes exile wasnt entirely voluntary

Maillard Reactionary said...

First of all I'd like to say in agreement with mockturtle Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all, especially our patient and even-handed Hostess. And Mr. Meade.

I'm a great fan of oaks. There are a lot of them around here. In our backyard we have several good-sized chestnut oaks. In a good year they'll produce an incredible number of large acorns that drop noisily for several weeks in early fall. The woods are full of blackjack and scrub oaks. Sometimes you see an olive oak too.

Their leaves, mixed with pine needles, are a great mulch for azaleas and rhododendrons.

Gotta love them oaks.

FullMoon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
n.n said...

The sardine or bucket of crabs effect is unhealthy for both people and trees Spread your wings or branches.

exiledonmainstreet, green-eyed devil said...

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Hanukkah to all.

Howard said...

Christmas falls on Wednesday this year. Have a good one

traditionalguy said...

In Georgia it's a White Oak supremacy. The Red Oaks are nice too. But our most Poplar Trees are mostly gone.

Rusty said...

Burr Oaks are a prairie tree. They resist fires. Before European settlement there were no trees on top of the moraines.

narciso said...

some animals are more equal then others,


https://babalublog.com/2019/12/24/u-s-allegedly-revokes-visa-of-tv-spokesman-for-cubas-socialist-dictatorship/#comments

narciso said...

that thin line between clever and stupid,


http://www.journal14.com/2019/12/23/after-labour-partys-crushing-defeat-under-most-left-wing-leader-ever-leftist-says-that-jeremy-corbyn-should-have-run-harder-to-the-left-to-win/#comments

Michael K said...

When I lived in South Pasadena there was a huge white oak across the street. It had many horizontal branches but all had metal poles installed as props. The poles were the size of house jacks, about 6 inches in diameter.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

Rushin'! Rushin'!!Rushin'!! this time of year??

Tired of the "Crapped-Up Klassics" bastardized version of memorable holiday music?

...well here's just a little more Russian to enjoy:

Rimsky-Korsakov - Christmas Eve: Orchestral Suite (1895)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0vFOax7ZeU

Not by a bogus, bias tribunal, but by a Just God
have we all been 'impeached',
for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God
The stain of sin would be indelible
if not for the forgiveness and cleansing sacrifice
of God's gift, His Son Jesus Christ.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

"a child is born"-- his humanity
"a son is given" -- his deity, as from God


all of us cherubic angels here @Ingachuck'stoothlessARM
wish all Althousians a Merry & Blessed Christmas

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Heh

I do like how Drudge has Ann Coulter and Micky Kaus highlighted on the Opinion roll.
That tells us a little sumpin'
He needs to add Alhouse.

Fernandinande said...

We're doing the traditional Christmas eve watching of Twin Peaks, S3E13, arm wrestling scene.

etbass said...

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10,11

Merry Christmas all and may the Lord bless you.

Seeing Red said...

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah.

Seeing Red said...

Hanukkah.

Browndog said...

Blogger etbass said...

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:10,11

Merry Christmas all and may the Lord bless you.


Thank-you.

Narr said...

Eight pounds is also the weight of a gallon of water.

Here oaks rule. We recently went through the acorn season already referenced, and for a few days there was a bombardment . . . every year it takes a while to recall what those roof-thuds are. And that's just the neighbors' oaks--we were happy to find a yard with smaller and less messy trees, but still get their side-effects.

Don't get me started on the leaves--the sheer biomass is amazing to me. When I was a kid everyone burned at least some of their leaves, but now that's taboo (and OK by me).

Narr
From the (former) Hardwood Capital of the World

Jon Ericson said...


"I guess you were right, Linus. I shouldn't have picked this
little tree," said Charlie Brown. "Everything I do turns into
a disaster. I guess I don't really know what Christmas is
all about. Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas
is all about?"

"Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about,"
said Linus. [Linus walks to center stage.]

"Lights, please."

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding
in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them:
and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.

The True Meaning of Christmas (recited by Linus)

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the
heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace,
good will toward men.

--Book 42, Luke (002:08-14)
The Bible, King James Version

[Linus picks up his blanket and shuffles off-stage.]

JZ said...

I live in Oakland county Mich., not far from the city of Royal Oak, and for some reason, oak trees are my favorite. I wish I had one, especially one that is big enough for a tree house.