Lael Sees the Redwoods for the First Time

While, strictly speaking stopping at the Founder’s Grove at Avenue of the Giants was Lael’s second time seeing Redwoods since we had stopped earlier in the morning at another grove, this was still her first day. She was seeing the Redwoods through fresh eyes, but, like almost everyone I’ve ever know who has tried to photograph the Redwoods, she looked straight up.

She was also impressed by the Redwood’s ability to withstand intense forest fires as shown by the fact that this tree was still alive despite being hollowed out.

I’d never thought of trying to convey that ability to survive in quite this way.

Perhaps because the Founders Grove features one of the tallest Redwoods that “recently” fell, Lael took a number of shots of Redwoods that had fallen more recently,

including one that looks like it must have fallen within the last year, judging from the lightness of the wood.

It’s hard to imagine what forces were required to shatter a tree like that.

Luckily, as the placards explained, the death of these ancient giants made it possible for new life to emerge where a lack of light made it impossible before. Dwarfed by the giants looming overhead, delicate flowers

reflect their own beauty.

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