Faith's Entangled Tranquility

This old Hedge Apple tree (Osage Orange) is assertively protective for its short life-span and sits on high ground, safeguarded from the yearly floods. It's twisted and entangled with vines, bark deeply furrowed, tucked away in the timber. Osage Indians used the strong, flexible wood for bows, and archers still consider hedge as the best bow material. Farmers made fence posts out of it due to its resistance to rot. So it really is a magical giving tree. My daughter Faith would love to have a treehouse in this hedge to read and lose herself in its tranquillity and creative energy. And being anchored spiritually on the high ground herself, she's resistant to whatever floods this world brings her. Faith loves burrowing herself in books, including the Bible. She and her pops (Randy) ride these woods on their horses, admiring the old hedge as they pass, quoting their favorite movie lines from Young Guns I and II. I have hidden some quotes from these movies, her favorite books, and the TV series, The Office. Sadly, Hedge Apple trees have a short life expectancy of only 75 years. And from the circumference of 110 inches, we might be towards the end. We'll have one heck of a hot campfire as its last gift to earth.