The Tree of Time
Wednesday October 2nd 2019
An early morning walk in Wytham woods set me thinking about the cycles of time.
We also ran into the forester with a shotgun, who told us a story about magic mushrooms, and a group of scientists sitting around very delicately tagging the legs of birds. It was lovely — and timeless (except for the fact that the birds will each have a teeny electronic tracker attached to its leg).
Ahhhh.. This is beautiful Christina. Thank you. Like a reset and a kindness.
There was a programme on Radio 4 about deep time. The narrator told the story of the bursar of New College who was aware that one of the oak beams in the refectory was deteriorating. It had been up there for a good 700 years since the college was founded and needed replacing with a good 40′ length. He went to the Chief Forester of Wytham Woods. “Ah”, said the Chief Forester, “I was wondering when you’d come and ask for more oak. The founders of your college made sure to plant a stand of oak trees ready for when it was needed. They should be mature enough now.”