April 30, 2020
By Desert Les
Desert Les’ Bunkhouse
Howdie Pardner,
Yup. It’s good to see you again. Desert Les is back. Not because them Peak readers demanded it but because the fool editor told Desert Les to fill this here white space with interestin’ doings and seeings.
Despite hidin’ in the bunkhouse and wearing a dang COVID-19 mask Desert Les can still bear witness to them palo verde trees startin’ to bloom. Talkin’ ’bout trees, when Desert Les was a little cowpoke he’d shinny up trees and hideout in a tree cabin. Desert Les ain’t as frisky as he was, so now he is in the family bunkhouse diggings around in the roots of his family tree. Last night, after watching a video ’bout trees and Hiroshima, Desert Les recollected a poem ‘bout trees. Desert Les’ brain is full-up with tree thoughts. The bossy editor “suggested” that Desert Les put these thoughts in the Peak’s white space. Yup.
“Trees”
By Joyce Kilmer
Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
“Trees” was written in 1913 when Kilmer’s family lived in New Jersey. Kilmer did his writing near a window with a view of a wooded hill. Kilmer was a journalist, literary critic, and editor. He was the leading American Roman Catholic poet and lecturer of his generation. He enlisted in the army in 1917 and was deployed to France where he was killed by a sniper. Kilmer was 31 and left a wife, also a recognized poet, and two young children. Wikipedia
Hiroshima Trees Video
Last night, Al DeVito the publisher of Vineyard Views blog sent The Peak a video about the trees that survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Today, these trees that suffered such a horrific event are part of a story of strength and survival.
Vineyard Views BlogFamily Tree
Maine Coast.
While Desert Les has been in the bunkhouse, he has been exploring the roots of his family tree. Every person has a unique story and the tree has records for more than 10,000 individuals. Pardner, it’s no wonder Desert Les is suffering from excessive tree thoughts. Here’s an interesting story about Desert Les’ ancestors who lived along the coast of Maine in the 17 century.
In March 1650, the court in Wells, Maine charged that William Norman, a fisherman, had pretended to be divorced from his wife in England when he contracted for a bigamous marriage with Marjorie Randall. The court said it would give him 18 months to prove that he was divorced. Norman could not produce such evidence. Margarie was granted a divorce, although the court doubted that she ever had a legal marriage ceremony. Norman was banished from the province and given 25 lashes at the whipping post. Marjorie was fined for lying and abusing the government. She had to pay the wife of Thomas Wthithers for making “threatening speeches” to him. Also, she was warned to avoid the attention of Thomas Spinney as they were “keeping company together at unseasonable time.”
There is a happy ending! Thom and Marjorie were destined to become Desert Les’ great grandparents (10th) when they married and had children of their own, including a daughter Hanna (a Desert Les’ 9 great grandmother. It is believed that they also raised a child that was concieved during her marriage to Norman.
Palo Verde Prevue
Roadside Palo Verde, Desert Foothills Scenic Drive by Les Conklin.
Pardner, After all this dang writing, most of them tree thoughts have been burned from Desert Les’s head. There is only one thought left. For a prevue of what’s comin’ up read the article “Photos: Scenic Drive Spring Growth, May 15, 2019.”
Peak ArticleWhat Trees Can Tell Us
“I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.”When trees are in the path of human endeavors they need to be respected, protected and enjoyed at every opportunity. When human enable these things to happen a tree’s story can be used to honor the past and educate people. This has been done with Hiroshima’s survivor trees, exhibits and setbacks along Scottsdale’s Scenic Drive and information in family trees. Yup.
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