I took my wife hiking-bushwhacking to a remote area that was quite historical over a hundred years ago. Now it is an overgrown area, that only a few history buffs and artifact diggers know of. We found an old short handled shovel and some tin pieces, but none of the pottery pieces and such that use to litter the area…this private, overgrown area.
I have it on good authority from an avid area historian that certain workers were buried up in these dense woods with their keepsakes and possessions in unmarked graves. This belief must be known by others because at one time, I encountered digging sites and some artifacts, but nothing to denote a grave.
So, this gawdy vision in the distance, moving with the cold wind caught our eye. Now what are the possibilities for such a marker well off the beaten path?
Now to clarify the decorative trappings: a small plastic princess crown that said “Happy Birtday”, A deflated, mylar balloon that said “I love you”, a deflated, mylar balloon that said “Happy Mother’s Day”, a deflated, mylar balloon for the Oregon State Beavers (OSU) along with the strung garland.
So why this spot out in the woods with no discernible trail to this spot?
Was this the end point of some Geo Tag Scavenger Hunt for Mom? Was this a one time favorite haunt for Mom so the family decided to celebrate her Birthday or Mother’s Day in the dense woods? Hmm? Was this where Mom came to, this place of solitude to end her life? Or was this where someone else decided to end Mom’s life? A shrine to Mom.
This is not your ordinary littering. This is someone marking a spot and leaving the markings behind in a manner that, for them, over rides the no-no in these parts of ‘defaming’ nature’s visuals. This is a flaming reminder to Mom amongst the earth tones of Fall.
Or perhaps you have a similar experience and know right away what this was about? Either way, a creepy little discovery of remembrance for someone unknown to us.
The tree also looks scarred from a possible carving years ago.
Yes, many of the trees display long ago ‘carvings’ in efforts to cut the Ivy vines that were feared to be smothering the fir trees.
The photos were amazing. Could be many reasons for the hidden memories upon the tree. It had sort of a sad feel to the photos.
I think I most probably bring my own emotions into the assessment and skew objectivity. It just seemed sad. I wonder had the balloons been full of helium if the impression would have been any different? Thanks for commenting John.
To come upon something like this randomly is beyond coincidence, it seems to me. And it is odd the way the “rootlets” or twigs or whatever seems trimmed near the top of the garland. No price tags or other clues on balloon or other things? Yours truly, Nancy Drew
But when looking for D.B. Cooper, they came across a blue plastic wading pool deep in the woods.
No price tags. Good eye on the tree trimming. That use to be Ivy. The entire area was over come with Ivy that was imported into the area for landscaping timber mill owner’s homes in the 1880’s. It took off from the homes and up into the forest. An obvious effort has been made, but with only partial success to girdle the tree’s Ivy growth. This particular tree had at one time an obviously thick growth. There was an effort in the early 1990’s to stem the invasive plant.