HELICOPTERS DUMPING STRAW ON THE FOREST

STRAW IN THE FOREST

On Friday afternoon I noticed clouds of yellow dust from the freeway when approaching the New Harmony exit. As I drove nearer to New Harmony I could see the helicopters lifting straw in nets to cover the seeds that were planted last week on the forest. The helicopters were landing and picking up straw in the field of Deon Kelsey, northwest of the trailhead.

Ken Parker, Willard Perkins and I rode up Comanche Canyon Saturday morning to see what the forest looked like after the straw had settled into place.

In some places the straw was quite thick, while in other places it was thin, and other places had no straw at all. It seemed good to me see the mountain a cream color instead of the black color we have lived with since the fire.

Ken Parker, Willard Perkins and Brent Prince--Bandit and Yoke

We rode up to the old spring in the canyon, rested the horses for a while and told old New Harmony stories. We had a good time talking about old cougar hunts and some of the finer moments of New Harmony history.

"Bombs Away"

When we got near the drift fence one of the helicopters let loose with some straw hundreds of feet above us. We all looked at each other like our goose was going to be cooked with straw, but we were far enough away that it just made for an interesting photo.

On Sunday I rode back to the knoll that is southwest of Little Mountain. I watched the helicopters bring load after load of straw and dump around Rocky Knoll. It was a good feeling to see that the placement of this straw would help control the erosion process.

For most of the morning the helicopters worked, south and west of town. It was amazing to see how fast they could dump a load of straw and be back at their base to pick a new load.

I thought the helicopters were done bombing the area behind Lawson, after all no helicopter had been around Lawson for a couple of hours. I rode south on the Anderson trail and just about as I got around the south end of Lawson here came another helicopter that dumped too close for comfort.


I took one shot of the trail leading to the Big Wash and decided I had better get out of their way. I headed back to town.

I have been impressed with Bevan Killpack and Randy Russell from the Forest Service. They have worked hard with the people of New Harmony every step since the fire to gather input and help reforest the forest. I have come to know them both better and find them both very honorable and caring.

Now if we can just have some gentle rains, a snowpack that melts slow and a prayer that those grass seeds will germinate and grow.

Dad's Hands

I held my father's hand
while sittin' by his bed,
combing down the soft white hair
now unruly on his head.

His blue eyes and wrinkled forehead
tilted down to read this book.
His thoughts were focused on his past,
as he pondered the information he took.



I looked upon these old hands,

all tired and worn thin.

I thought of how strong they once were,

and all the places that they had been.

The green grass hay bales they had lifted,

the wrenches and tools, these hands held,

The horses that these hands wrangled,

plus the forest they had railed.

These hands were once tough working hands,

big, strong and never idle.

These hands had never slept in,

and were no stranger to a horses bridle

Hands who knew how to sharpen a knife,

for skinning the hide off a deer.

Hands who could poke a stick at a treed cougar,

with absolutely no trembling fear.

These hands have fixed tractors, bailers

and nearly every truck in town.

These hands have guided a backhoes controls,

getting ready to put a casket down.

Dad's hands were never wrapped around a hymn book,

he would have been happier in the Pine Valley sun.

He had a reputation for seeing what others needed,

and doing what had to be done.

So hands, you've served him well,

on this journey here on earth.

These hands have been moving daily,

since the moment of Dad's birth.

It's time to rest these hands,

time to ponder the memories they have made.

Time to remember days gone by,

all the hard work they have paid.

I will enjoy the days we have left,

and how these hands have molded me.

Thanks for the crooked little finger you passed down,

and all these hands have allowed me to see.

Everyone needs a Dad's hand,

to gently hold on to when times get gruff.

These hands have buried his mother, two wives and a great granddaughter,

and that has been more than rough.

You lay in bed with your hands interlaced,

your thumbs begin to race.

Just like Grandpa Lowe twirling in unison,

on their daily nervous chase

Thanks to these hands who have shaped our lives,

for we will never forget their working ways.

Rest these hands, my dear old Dad ,

you deserve the best the remainder of your days.

Pictorial Essay---The Big Pine

Our New Little Big Pine

Once in a while I get to be in the right place at the right time to help out. On Saturday as part of the trail head rehabilitation project I volunteered Shorty to pack our new "Little Big Pine" to its new home which would be next to the Big Pine burned down by the Mill Flat Fire.


I first thought I could balance, me and the new ponderosa and its root ball in my saddle, but soon realized that was not going to work out. So I had to come up with Plan B. Kendall Kelsey helped secure the root ball to my saddle with some straps he had one his four wheeler. Kendall snugged those straps down tight and that tree did not move hardly a bit as I lead Shorty toward the Big Pine.

Shorty and I walked down the Anderson Valley Trail from the trail head to where the trail v's off and heads west toward the Big Pine. I thought with each step I took how we have all helped each other take one step at a time to get through the hellish days of this fire. We are moving forward.

I thought as I plodded along about how life is in constant change. This fire has changed my life forever, but I also realized it is time to let my mind, spirit and attitudes heal. It is necessary to replant what was lost, and pray for new growth in my life and in the forest for the future. Like the good book says, "To everything there is a season, a time to plant and a time to harvest."

Walking through the mud flow from the last fire, the branches of the tree flopped up and down as Shorty took each step. Its branches seemed to be waving at the old forest with a gesture of welcome. I got a little emotional the closer I walked to the silent black giant, we now call the remains of the Big Pine. It was like introducing a great great grandson to its great great grandfather.

I forever will be glad that I had this moment in time to have played a part in getting this new ponderosa to take root beneath the shadows of the Big Pine. I love New Harmony, its people, its soil and its heritage with every fiber of me. I am so proud of who we are, what we stand for and how in hard times how we all brace each other up.

I untethered the root ball and set the live ponderosa pine next to the dead pine. I knew what I was doing was a good thing for all of our valley. I had a good proud feeling in my heart, that all of us that love the Big Pine now had another new member of our Harmony family we would watch grow.

The old pine still stood straight as the young ponderosa sapling leaned on the charred black trunk. The green pine needles were a welcome hue to a gray and black forest. A sign of hope and life on the horizon. A moment forever etched in my mind and heart.

I left the living with the dead and headed back to take pictures of the youth who were helping to clean up the trail head, plant new seedlings and grass at the trail head.

At about six o'clock in the evening Julie called me and said she would meet me at the Big Pine. Rolaine wanted to be a part of the tree planting ceremony, but said just to take pictures and she would be with us in spirit. Rolaine loved the Big Pine and has shown much devotion to it. I hope this new tree will help her and all of us heal.

Rex Kelsey and Gary Buckley and I were visiting when the phone call came in and I invited them to come and help plant our new tree with Julie and I. We drove over through Gordon Pace's beautiful meadows and parked at his haystack. I grabbed a shovel and we hiked to the Big Pine.

The earth was hard and dry, left scorched and baked by the fire. Rex, Gary and I took turns digging and shaping the hole. We tried to plant the tree west of the Big Pine and far enough up from the drainage below that future floods, won't hurt our new "Little Big Pine,"

Julie had packed water in on her back to give the tree a drink. She was quite a trooper carrying that bag all the way from the trail head. It was a cool moment to be planting this tree. One moment I knew meant a lot to Gary, Rex and Julie also.

We tamped the dirt around the root ball to try to get all the air out.

Gary watered the tree and our tree planting ceremony was complete, other than taking pictures of the tree planting crew.

Kelsey and Buckley cut the yellow twine off the limbs and the new pine made a beautiful silhouette.

Brent Prince, Gary Buckley, Rex Kelsey and Julie Woods

We took one last picture before we left our friend to be the future legend for upcoming generations.

I stopped by Gordon Pace's and showed him pictures of the new tree we had planted! He cried and I cried

On Sunday morning I packed over two more bags of water for the new tree.

Randy Russell gave the tree a good drink of water. Yoke decided this was a good watering hole for him too!

Rolaine's New Pine

Welcome to our forest, we need your green and strength.

You have a big trunk to fill, but in many hundreds of years,

future generations will tell your story and love you like we love the Big Pine.

So send your roots down into our Harmony dirt,

hold fast to the gray granite boulders you will grow between.

We will protect you and water you and guard you!

You are the chosen one and we hope to see you rise tall above the forest floor

and guard our valley for a thousand years.

Copyright Brent Pace Prince 2009

No pictures of written text may be used without the permission of the author.

Gordon's Fences

I stopped by to visit Gordon Pace and he was worried about his fencelines. I told him I would take some pictures for him. He was wondering if his gates were still up after the fire. So Gordon here is a glimpse of some of your fences.