Ancient Juniper...

Click on photo to enlarge

I wanted to get a picture of this ancient Western Juniper before it falls in the lake. Fully two-thirds of the root system has been undermined by the lapping waves and a somewhat smaller juniper nearby fell into the water since my last walk here a few days ago.

Gotta go, more later...

OK, where was I? Oh yeah!

A dredging project was just completed in this part of the lake and here where the lakebed used to slope very gradually away from the shore there is now and abrupt drop into deep water.

About half of the roots of this juniper have been exposed for many years as high water from an occasionally full lake would lap at the shoreline in front of it.

The lake is brim full again and now the strong westerly winds that prevail here drive the waves full force into the shore, deeply undercutting the soil which then tumbles into the water.

In the past few weeks the shoreline has receded several feet taking one good sized young juniper with it and another next to the one above is now leaning over toward the water.

When that one falls the juniper above will be left standing on a small promintory directly exposed to the west, where waves will then begin to eat at the earth behind the tree, and I doubt if it will be standing much longer, it all depends how much wind we get now.

These lakefront junipers are not only inspiring to look at, they're critical habitat for birds.

Last winter Peggy and watched four Bald Eagles fishing from, and around, this very tree.

gotta go again...
more later