Priscilla's Workshop

 I have no claim at all to knowing more than the rudiments of botany but there is a dogwood tree in my neighborhood that fascinates me. This tree stands in a public park, subject to any number of dogs and other hazards but it perseveres. How can I say that a tree perseveres? Isn't that sort of the silliest kind of pathetic fallacy?

You can judge for yourself. The photo on the right is a little dark. The left hand photo is from one side where the tree looks more or less like any other dogwood in the park. It's fairly tall, in full leaf in this photo after having a full complement of blooms a couple of weeks ago. The other two photos show the other side, or what there is of the other side.

 

 

It's hard to tell but most of the trunk of the tree is gone. Essentially this has roots, and then an open tube of mostly outside bark. Once the branches start, the tree is solid but there is not much to the trunk at all. It is startling and inspiring.