Hero

[Downrigger]

This is a hero of mine. It’s a white pine on an exposed area on the rocky shores of northern Lake Champlain, and has not appreciably changed in the 60-plus years I’ve had the honor of witnessing its struggle. Under more normal circumstances, White Pines grow about a meter a year much of their life so it is obvious that this tree, about 7 feet “tall”, has all it can do to just hang on. But hang on it does, living on rock juice, sun and air, and it never complains.

Tough to get the shot I wanted to tell the story - above, on the rock, you can see its few, spreading bows, but no trunk. This, from below, doesn't quite do it for me, either. For now, this is the state of my homage.

[Shadowman]

It is basically hanging on. Nice capture.

[Barbara Ponder]

Great story. That is one determined tree!

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Tenacity and persistence personified in a tree.
Thanks for sharing that.

[Brownbear]

Hi Mark,

Just to say that I adore this image for the story but also because you've photographed it so beautifully. Gorgeous colours and detail. Maybe crop a little bit off of the left hand side, in the little nook? Just something I see that I like...

[Mike Buckley]

Nature is really amazing. Thanks for sharing your hero of so many decades.

[Downrigger]

Thank for your comments – you all - Mike, Christina, Alan, Barbara and John accurately grasped that what I really meant to accomplish here was the exercise of using a photograph to share a story told best by a photograph.

Agree with you on the crop, Christina, been trying to stay away from square, but that’s probably what works best.

But I feel strongly that as a photograph by itself, it needs something more, or less, or a different sky, or some precipitation – maybe I’ll never get the one I want, but this will do for as far as we have come together so far.

[Whistletown Wilds]

I agree , it tells a lonely struggling story! Words good job.

[deetheturk]

Great story and capture Mark, thank's for sharing

[IzzieK]

Just like life...we all have struggles we need to get through from time to time, but that is how we survive and this one will amongst the fittest because it has shown that through the test of time, it is still there. A lot of experience it can share just by looking at it from time to time. A good shot worth coming back to every now and then to remind us that life and time continues on no matter what. This is what I gather from this shot....Excellent shot!

[Texas Dave]

Thanks for sharing this with us. Very cool story and shot.

[marlunn]

impressive tree, that embodies the spirit of never giving up - the japanese bonsai culture treasures natures examples far above man made ones for lessons they can teach us