The Full Willow Story

Monique and the willow: October 2006

Willow down: July 2007

When we arrived for the 4th of July, I saw the lovely river willow had been felled by beaver.

We noticed the tree was still green, meaning it hadn't been down long, but we also saw that branches in contact with either ground or water were sprouting roots! I quickly used the internets to discover willows are very hormonal, and good at starting over. I also learned the easiest way to propagate willow is to take a branch and jam it into the ground. Well, even I can do that, so I did.

That first day, Monique and I put ±30 twigs and branches up and down the riverbank. Since then, it just got into me. 1) Why didn't I protect the tree years ago? 2) Why didn't I learn about willow propagation and take selected branches off the tree years ago? Why didn't the beaver take the flippin' tree after taking the time to cut it down?!?

Because the beaver didn't take much, I could. I've planted at least 150 twigs, branches, even a few limbs. Branches I thought were dried out and "no good," I tossed into the river. Some came to rest by the swimming hole, and some of those sprouted new leaves and roots. We won't know until spring how many are still viable, and even longer to know if trees can survive where they've been planted.

Today with a handsaw and a pick I finally separated the tree from the stump -- that was a pile of fun. But I've fenced the stump and its many shoots, and sort of hope the beaver leave the rest as-is.

Enough about my willow obsession focus. Today was gorgeous, and after a trip to Kalispell for various bits and pieces, I spent the afternoon outside. Last Thursday was cold, rainy, windy, and cold, and definitely took the idea of "wood stove"... wait for it... off the back burner.

random note to self: don't do that.

I am thrilled to be up here. Yesterday morning I went outside and took this shot of our chestnut tree. Life is good.