The winter winds blew

Nature hangs on with experience, grit and determination

My horse chestnut tree and its neighbours of oak, willow, rowan, beech and fir, had to hold onto the earth with all their might during their recent Storm Eowyn experience. We had been fortunate that none had lost their battle on this occasion. However, branches, twigs, clumps of needles from evergreen giants and the odd cluster of leaves, that had not made it down to earth in the autumn, were left strewn all over the lawn in the aftermath. When the winds finally died down it was time to collect the debris. The horse chestnut, it appeared, had been most battered by the gale judging by the amount of twigs found both under its bare canopy and right across the garden.

A twig is just a twig

Now a twig is like any other twig, from a distance. But what makes the horse chestnut twig interesting, and believed to be how it got its name, is the horseshoe shaped marks complete with nail “holes”, left by the leaf stalk when it fell. This scar on the twig, which is not easily seen from the tree, is so distinctive when you see it close up you know straight away where it came from. So my detective work allowed me to understand how the tree had fared in the storm by the amount of twigs that had become detached. It was not looking good.

New beginnings

The storm has thankfully passed over, we have had blue skies and fluffy clouds today. I’m not sure if any more assaults are on the way. But one thing I have learned over the years, by observing the seasons and weather patterns, is that nature has to battle many storms and the lucky, most determined of species get to survive. The trees learn to sway, the daisy hides its bloom and the small, woodland animals do not surface until the coast is clear. They have a system of survivorship which allows for continuity and growth. I hope that my horse chestnut tree and its friends keep up the good work.

The stormy winds blew

You held your ground and fought hard

Spring arrives with hope

I am curious:

What miracle of survival have you witnessed from nature?