Portland, Oregon was hammered mid-January by a 30-60 year snow, ice, and wind storm that resulted in literally tons of downed trees, damage to property, and loss of human life. It was beyond sad, tragic really. But I’m still a tree hugger, knowing how hard trees work to sustain themselves and benefit life on the planet—bringing us joy and sustaining our environment. I urge everyone not to let fear of the power of trees overwhelm our appreciation for their wonder. After all, it wasn’t the trees’ plan to topple into chaos. It was the storm—the power of Nature, and let’s hope a “perfect storm” like that won’t happen again.

Coincidentally, I just finished reading “Witness Tree” by Lynda V. Mapes. She is an environmental writer who spent an entire year living in the Harvard (research) Forest in Massachusetts. Ms. Mapes is a storyteller of a reporter, whether she’s writing about the science of trees, the history of the landscape and its settlers, or her climbing experiences as she gets to know her “witness” red oak. See my complete review on Goodreads.

This book brought to mind Katherine Applegate’s novel, “Wishtree” in which another red oak named Red narrates its own story of hopes fulfilled and racial prejudice averted in a community. If only climate change can end in as happy a way for the earth! Shall we also hang our wishes on trees?

There are many wonderful tree-focused books out there, both scientific and fanciful and some in between. Two that I liked and reviewed on Goodreads are as follows: “The Overstory” by Richard Powers is a novel that shows people at their best when standing tall with trees. “Harry’s Trees” by Jon Cohen has a shade of magic realism in a forester’s story of love and loss. “Trees of Greater Portland” has been a helpful local guide, published 1993.

Meanwhile, my own pet tree, a 110-year-old Camperdown elm, saved from development, continues to witness and span the seasons of our lives on Northwest Cornelius Pass Road in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Happy Lunar New Year to Friends of my Goodreads blog! It’s the year of the green wood Dragon. Perhaps this might inspire you to read more books about trees and some fantasies containing dragons.