Everyone knows how much I love trees. Yesterday, on the South Santiam up past Foster Reservoir, I came upon a giant fir that had crashed into the river very recently.  It was beautiful, but I could see that its heart had rotted away.  I know it’s crazy, but I paddled up very close to it and blessed it and thanked it for all the oxygen it had given back to us in the  hundred years or so it had been on the job.  It smelled so good.

I generally remark on my huge liquid amber

and my little gingko when they are showing off.

But, for some reason, I have neglected my brilliant Japanese maple. Clearly it deserves to be recognized.