The Old Linden Tree in Leaf

Among the more dramatic arboreal residents here at the farm is the old linden tree which lives along the driveway next to the remains of the bank farmhouse. This tree has tons of character, and history to boot. According to the landlady, this tree actually used to be MUCH bigger until it was injured in the fire which destroyed the bank farmhouse.

It still amazes me how dramatic the change has been across the landscape with the onset of spring. I still see the architecture of the trees now ensconced in a thick overcoat of leaves and flowers. Here we see the linden tree, blossoms shed now on the brink of summer, fully clothed in her peaceful corner. Beneath the tree is a shade so thick that I’m certain the temperature is several degrees different from the surrounding area.

Blossoms on the old linden tree

While many of the larger trees around the farm have yet to open their leaves, the old linden tree has a head start with early spring blossoms. You may remember our earlier explorations of this old tree back in the late winter.

I was unsure as to what to expect from a linden tree, having never seen one before (at least, not that I recall specifically). It seems as though I learned a while back that linden means lime… but this is most certainly NOT a lime tree.

Right now all we have are the tiny “flowers,” and I’m sure that the leaves will follow in a few weeks. These blossoms are not at all what I expected, but they are wonderful none the less!

I have this feeling that the big trees need a solid, steady, two-week-long rain in order to push those leaves out. Of course, I could be projecting...

Bring on the rain!!!

This old tree

At long last, I have finally found the right combination of decent lighting, puppy-free wandering, and will-to-move-the-garbage bins which has allowed me to share these with you today.

My breath caught in my throat the first time I saw her. As you can see she’s elegant, old, and filled with history. Despite the heart-rot that is visible in some of these images, I have no doubt that her buds will burst in the coming spring, and I will be there to see them!

I can look at this tree all day and still see something new tomorrow. While I had to narrow down the plethora of images I captured to just these five, you can count on more in the coming months!

Beneath the old tree

One of the first trees to catch my eye upon my first visit to this property is an old tree, species as yet unknown to me, which grows along the driveway a ways up from my cottage. It has beautiful burls and tons of character, and appears to drop nuts in the autumn (based on the casings I've found in the leaf litter).

Reaching out in many directions, this tree is a challenge for me to photograph – there is no way I can get it all in one shot unless I stand far away, which means you can’t enjoy the detail. While I work out just how to share it with you, please enjoy what I found beneath it: the first flowers of the season, and somebody’s root-home.

The flowers look like what I know to be buttercups, except they aren’t growing like buttercups! The buttercups I know grow tall and bushy like herb robert, with broad, dark, fuzzy greens. These buttercups hug the ground and bear a sort of an “Elizabethan neck frill” of green leaves. They are a beautiful and welcome sight, nonetheless.

As for the little root-burrow, I have no idea who lives here! However, I have seen foxes, rabbits, mice, and other burrowing creatures in the area. I suppose I’ll have to scout before sunup to learn just who calls this quiet nook home.