Beautiful Columbia, September 1971
I was very excited to find this first photo, a rare record of the day that the Columbia was attacked by a marauding tree! I'm sure you heard about it, it was in all the papers. Look at those creepy tendrils, reaching, grasping, wanting only to choke and crush! This is why nobody likes trees today. In spite of the drama, it made for a pretty picture.
More trees! Why, even mighty Cascade Peak was no match for them. "They" say that it was water that destroyed the Peak, but I talked to a guy at the race track and he said that it was the trees. I believe him.
8 comments:
Major-
Water, trees, beauty - they're somehow ALL behind a 'killing' - be it peaks, ships or beasts.
Thanks, Major.
And don't forget that tree in Frontierland that squashed a popcorn wagon and almost took out some guests about 15 years ago.
Nanook, what about baby otters? They don't kill anything. All they eat is candy.
TokyoMagic!, I remember that tree. That's the day I knew that trees were awful and should be banned!
"They" say that it was water that destroyed the Peak, but I talked to a guy at the race track and he said that it was the trees. I believe him.
She had no saying dark enough
For the dark pine that kept
Forever trying the window latch
Of the room where they slept.
The tireless but ineffectual hands
That with every futile pass
Made the great tree seem as a little bird
Before the mystery of glass!
It never had been inside the room,
And only one of the two
Was afraid in an oft-repeated dream
Of what the tree might do.
--Robert Frost, 1921
I lived in the woods for years, and there were many days I could have sworn the trees were out to get me. It was like that mountain in The Fellowship of the Ring that didn't want people crossing it and tried to get them off.
Maybe it didn't help that I was scared of the Kite-Eating Tree from "Peanuts" as a kid.
That is indeed a lovely atmospheric shot of the Columbia. I wish they'd build one back East; there's a distinct paucity of watercraft on the Rivers of America at WDW these days.
A large tree came crashing through my apartment way back in 1982. It was the same time as the floods and landslides where happening in my area which killed over twenty people. The tree obliterated my front door, windows and wall of my living room. About two hours before that event, I told the landlord the tree looked like it was leaning too much. I found out my assessment was right. Also the main bridge in town collapsed after a build up of large trees flowing down the river from the mountains crashed into the bridge. From that point on, I've never been fond of living next to big trees anymore.
Lovely Columbia shot. Thanks, Major.
I have three large trees planted by my father surrounding the house. I'm off to sharpen the axe...
Melissa, you are "classing up the joint" with Robert Frost's poetry! I'm more of a Nipsy Russell man, myself. But I am impressed that you could reference a poem about a tree (no fair citing Joyce Kilmer). You lived in the woods for years? There's an interesting story there, I'll bet. I would have been worried about the Blair Witch. The Kite-eating tree was a favorite of mine when I was a kid, it was just so WEIRD. I still remember drawing it, with its big smile. I wonder if there ever was any plan to build a sailing ship like the Columbia for WDW?
K. Martinez, your story reminds me of a leaning eucalyptus tree that was just outside of my grandparent's property. My grandpa would point to it and call it a "widow maker". He even contacted the neighbor and offered to pay to have the tree removed. They said "no". And of course it finally did fall over one day, crashing into their car port. Fortunately the main part of the house was OK, but I'm sure it cost the neighbors a bundle to deal with the damage.
c, you are lucky to be alive!
I always appreciate it when the amateur photographers who's work we enjoy here try and do something a little more creative (like the Columbia pic) than just point and shoot. Thank you photographers of the past!
Just for the record, I like trees.
Post a Comment