Little Brown Dog, Big Old Trees

After a romp at Battle Creek Dog Park, my Susan and I often walk the asphalt walking/biking trail east of either dog park gate. It is lightly traveled and meanders for about a mile and a half over gentle hills, around marshes, and through meadows and woods. We always look forward to saying howdy to our two favorite trees that flank the trail as we head back to the car.

To a little brown dog, these elderly cottonwoods feel like the Gates of Argonath from the Lord of the Rings.

It is hard to capture the massiveness of the trees* in a flat photo. I wonder how old they are and how these two escaped progress. Cottonwoods grow fast and can live up to 100 years. I hope these two stick around for awhile.


* 10/3/10 We measured the biggest one shown above and it is nearly 9 yards (about 8 meters) around!