TheBanyanTree: New Constellation

[Dale M. Parish]

I had been burning timber downed from Hurricane Rita all day with the
dozer, and at sundown, I came in burnt out-- crawled through the
shower and laid drying on the bed when Cindy asked me if I wanted to
go into Vidor to get supper.  I really didn't want to, but know we're
out of bread and eggs, and had thought about tuna salad sandwiches for
lunch tomorrow, so conceeded.  I got dressed and we walked out to get
in Snowball, the hybred, when she exclaimed, "That tree's on fire."

My first conception was that all the trees I've been burning all day
should be on fire, but then I looked up where she was looking, and saw
a new constellation in the east.  Bright, just before it errupted in a
shower of sparks from 20 meters or more high.  The sparks showered
down and I knew which tree it was.  I put Snowball back in Park, and
walked out around the corn patch and into where the woods used to be.
We'd decided to clear out the woods between the house and the eastern
fence, and I've been trying to leave the best Rita survivors, but most
of the big trees blew down, and the little ones that are left are all
small.  There was an island of trees that I'd left because she's
partial to Southern Magnolias and there were two magnolias flanked by
one big dead tree that died after Rida-- I think from a broken heart.
It was a red oak, I think, but was large enough and hasn't been dead
long enough that it hadn't shed its larger branches, and towered over
the little trees in the understory that had been left.  And it was
hollow.

This afternoon, the wind had picked up, and some of the sparks rising
from the southern fire had blown into this little island and caught it
on fire.  I circledd it with the dozer, and decided there wasn't any
danger of it going anywhere and let it burn.  But the fire had gotten
into the hollow trunk-- about 80cm in diameter-- and gone on to the
top of the tree, where the branches and main trunk were apparently
more rotten.  I stood watching in the quarter moon and could make out
the outline of the tree, but then the internal fire caught some air
and sparks blew out a half-dozen holes in the larger branches-- a
pretty sight-- better than Fourth Of July fireworks-- except that I
didn't think we should leave with this potential fire problem.  Cindy
volunteered to go into town and leave me with the fire watch.  While
she was gone, I ran three hoses out to the base of the tree -"just in
case" and pulled up a garden bench to watch, and it was a pretty
sight.  After a while, the out-side of two large branches caught fire
on the outside-- before it had been only sparks and coals visible, but
now there were two branches -- one on each side of the top branch
fork, engulfed.  I wondered what the neighbors were thinking-- I'm
sure someone had to notice- it's probably visible from the freeway a
kilometer south of here.

Cindy returned with groceries and we ate-- last time I checked, the
whole tree's still standing, although I'm expecting the major
branches, if not the trunk to fall tonight.  Guess I'll be getting up
to check it until it does.  So much for sleeping thru.

Hugs,
Dale
--
Dale M. Parish
628 Parish Rd
Orange TX 77632