The collapse of the cottonwood tree

Awhile back, I posted about the cottonwood trees around our lake. 

In that post I mentioned this: Cottonwoods can become rotten and it is unnoticeable -- until the tree falls.

Well... guess what?

A few weeks ago during some rather high winds, our neighbors who are just two doors down us experienced it first-hand. The tree came crashing down and destroyed their boat, the boat lift, their jet ski, the jet ski lift -- and the entire dock. Luckily, nobody was hurt!

The tree came down quickly, smashing through the dock and everything around it.

It also crushed a boat, a jet ski and both lifts!

This was the jet ski lift. You can see the crushed wheel which is used to raise and lower the jet ski.

What is left of the boat lift -- the cover stayed on. The home owners definitely kept their sense of humor -- do you see the chainsaw sitting on top of the tree trunk??

Base of the tree where it was rotten. This was a HUGE tree!

Better view of the ruins.

And another. The tiny chainsaw probably wouldn't cut a small branch on this tree!

The disaster from the other side.

This man, who insisted on climbing over everything to stand out there, is over 6' tall -- gives you a good idea how large this tree was! (There's one of these guys in every crowd, isn't there? LOL!)

Thanks for visiting!

The attack of the cottonwood trees

Ever heard of a cottonwood tree? I had not heard of them (or I just wasn't aware of them) until we moved to Iowa. Since the time I learned about cottonwoods, I have developed a serious love/hate relationship with these trees.

Some of the things I love about them is how huge they are. And the sound that the leaves make when the wind blows. And the great shade they provide. And the way they look leaning over the water...

Awhile back, I looked up information about the tree and discovered a lot of history behind it!

Here are a few things regarding the cottonwood:

• It is the State Tree of Kansas and Nebraska. 
• There are many legends and mysteries and love stories involving cottonwoods.
• They can grow over 100 feet high.
• There are male and female trees.
• Cottonwoods can become rotten and it is unnoticeable -- until the tree falls.
• They prefer to grow by water.
• They were a sight for sore eyes back in the pioneer days on the plains. They provided shade and wood for fires. And because they like to be wet -- water was usually found nearby.
• If you cut a branch from a cottonwood tree, there is a shape of a star inside. There is an old Native American legend that the stars from the skies were hiding inside the trees because they liked to be near people on earth.

On the lake where we live, there are thousands of cottonwood trees! At certain times of the year when the cotton seeds open and release into the air, it looks like a heavy snowstorm as they blow around. It is a beautiful sight to behold! The cotton will land on the ground in large clumps resembling a pile of snow.

I love seeing the cotton in the air.

But on the flip side, I loathe seeing the cotton in the air. It makes a mess and sticks to everything and worst of all, I am apparently allergic to the cute little fluffs that float around.

It happens quite a few times throughout the spring, summer and fall. Sigh... 

Cottonwood trees along the shore of the lake.

You can see the cottonwood seeds against the house -- looks like snow! This was a very light amount.

A branch with the seeds attached.

Cottonwood in the water. See how it clumps?

This cottonwood tree came down during a storm a few years ago and crashed through our neighbor's house (two doors down). They rebuilt after this!

As much as I dislike them sometimes, they are truly beautiful trees! As I am writing this blog, the late afternoon sun is shining through the trees -- and combined with a nice breeze blowing, they are making the leaves shimmer and I can hear the very distinctive rustle of the leaves.

Thanks for visiting!