After five days of staying in Fort Bragg, checking out the sights of Mendocino and Fort Bragg, we headed home. As a Grand Finale of sorts, we went down the Avenue of the Giants to experience the magical, majestic, ancient Redwoods. They are truly amazing! As my mother drove, I stood on the front passenger seat, sticking my body out through the sunroof to take many of the images shared in this post!
Looking up into the trees in awe and wonderment….
Dramatic stumps fascinate me….
The flora of the forest: moss growing on virtually everything; saplings struggling to establish themselves; shamrocks spreading over the forest floor; ferns that even climb up tree trunks! All of this is magical and I find myself expecting Hobbits, Faeries or other forest dwelling folk to appear….Perhaps maybe I’ll see Bigfoot. My imagination runs wild…
The age rings on this particular cut of a Redwood shows just how ancient these trees are!
Just a hodge-podge of Redwood images….
Burls are an interesting element of these trees. They are caused by trauma or stress and are valued for their random yet unique grain patterns. Artists and furniture makers alike, highly value burls….
They can be found on roots…
A classic Redwood burl on the trunk of a live tree.
They also develop random branches, giving the tree a spooky aspect.
The Avenue of the Giants is about 31 miles of winding road….
It's All Relative.... 