I heard someone on the radio say that our country has few reminders of its past. By this, he meant there aren't many structural reminders. He contrasted our cities with a place like Rome, where there are tons of obvious signs of the city's inhabitants from hundreds and thousands of years ago.
For us, even as a young country, such monuments to our past are relatively scarce. It's as if we collectively think progress means never looking back. We think of our present state as evolved beyond prior generations, but man's nature is pretty darn constant. There's the cliche "those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it." I am sure that's true. (It has never made me learn enough history though!)
I went to Blithewold manor earlier in the spring and took this photo. Unfortunately there isn't anything to give you perspective, but this tree was more than a few stories high. The circular bed it's in is around 25 feet in diameter. It's an impressive tree.
Besides this tree, there were several other majestic trees there, including sequoias that are around 100 years old! How cool is that?!?!? (The sequoia photos didn't do the trees justice so I posted this one instead.) I didn't know they could grow here, but apparently it stays warm enough in the winter and is humid enough throughout the year.
It was chilly that day, but I could imagine how nice it would be under this tree protected from the summer sun. And how beautiful it must look in the winter covered in snow or ice. And how people gathered around it when the house on the property was still a residence. Though not a man-made testament, those trees represent generations of growth and history. Too bad I had to make a special trip to Bristol for the reminder.
For us, even as a young country, such monuments to our past are relatively scarce. It's as if we collectively think progress means never looking back. We think of our present state as evolved beyond prior generations, but man's nature is pretty darn constant. There's the cliche "those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it." I am sure that's true. (It has never made me learn enough history though!)
I went to Blithewold manor earlier in the spring and took this photo. Unfortunately there isn't anything to give you perspective, but this tree was more than a few stories high. The circular bed it's in is around 25 feet in diameter. It's an impressive tree.
Besides this tree, there were several other majestic trees there, including sequoias that are around 100 years old! How cool is that?!?!? (The sequoia photos didn't do the trees justice so I posted this one instead.) I didn't know they could grow here, but apparently it stays warm enough in the winter and is humid enough throughout the year.
It was chilly that day, but I could imagine how nice it would be under this tree protected from the summer sun. And how beautiful it must look in the winter covered in snow or ice. And how people gathered around it when the house on the property was still a residence. Though not a man-made testament, those trees represent generations of growth and history. Too bad I had to make a special trip to Bristol for the reminder.
