day....memories....208

 I had one of those almost memories today

    Long story long, because I can't ever be concise.

    Years ago I would go to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.  My mom took me several times.  The coal mine always scared me, while the submarine amazed me.

    There were two displays that struck me....the trains, and the tree ring.

    The tree ring must have been 15 feet across.  Giant sequoia or redwood, it had strings that pointed from  a ring to a card:  1066, Magna Carta signed; 1492, Columbus sales; 1776, US demands Independence.  It was amazing to me that a tree survived all of this.

    Fast forward 40 years. 

    I am with a school group at the Byron Forest Preserve nature center when I see a tree ring that reminds me of the one in Chicago.  I ask.  It is the one from Chicago!  The museum no longer wanted it and Byron offered to take it.  So it was displayed on the main floor of the nature center.

    A few years go by, I go back and the ring is gone.  I ask and am told they removed it and will be turning it into benches.

    Today I stopped and saw a beautiful bench in the visitor's center....but it wasn't from the ring.

    I asked and was told the ring is still intact, stored on the property in a barn.  Turns out the museum remodeled and its focus is on the prairie in Illinois and the sequoia was out of place.  The plan is still to turn it into benches or seating.

    Unfortunately, the barn where it is stored is not open for viewing.  

    But can you imagine a tree over 1,000 years old? 

    Sad to read about the fires in California that are ravaging the groves of redwoods and sequoias.  The guy I talked to said it was awesome to stand at the base of a tree that was 300 feet tal and look up ........ I hope I get that chance some day.

    Stay safe.  Stay healthy.  Mask it or get trumped

Peace and Love