Gobsmacked...Astounded....

After the Saturday's storms blew through, it had cooled off. So I took Charlie for a walk along the gravel road. I decided to duck down one of the logger's skidder lanes. Talk about mud and slick walking, it made icy conditions seem easy.

I was curious as to how much they were taking from my favorite steep hillside. This was the place I hiked every day for nearly 30 years. I called it my happy place.

Photo from last fall.

Below...the Dry Run.

This was taken last year during peak fall colors.

The spring snow melt and waters from the ridge run down 

this crooked dry run. The roots of the trees
hold back the soil and rocks.

And..

now... [not exactly the same spot, but this is near the dry run]. I'll have to wait until winter to get a good look at what remains. 

[Panos with the cell phone]

Do the owners of this land even know what this looks like? Does the guy -- Glen who leases this forest for bow hunting know what has transpired?

Does anyone have any idea what the heavy rains will do to this fragile soil on the hillsides? By the time I'd slogged down to this spot, the heat and humidity had returned. I was literally gobsmacked, astounded, and totally blown away by the destruction.

[Yeah, I thought of some words that shouldn't be posted on a family friendly blog too...]

I'd heard the one logger sawing all week... and trees thundering as they hit the ground. 

I was hot, sweaty, muddy, and shocked. I slogged back up through the slippery mud. I wanted to cry.

As I walked past the piles of logs to be picked up, I reminded myself that this was not my land even if  I knew this land better than those whose names were on the deeds. 

No more will I be able to find my landmark trees or sit on my favorite outcropping of rocks and enjoy the deep forest.

And to think that they may end up doing this to the nearly 1 square mile of land with two valleys in it.

Hubby reminded me once more that it was none of my business.

I am in deep mourning for the land I love.

I suppose, in defense of the owners of the estate, they probably need the $$$$ for property taxes or some such thing. The cropland has been left untouched.

Ok. Enough about that.

I feel personally affronted by the destruction and reckless use of logging. As someone else suggested to me. "You know, people often log their land before they decide to sell it."

In my mind, the land is worth so much more with careful management of the forest. 

I swear. I heard the forest weeping...

To be continued....