Lessons in an Old House

I am drawn to old buildings like this one I ran across on a back road in Central Texas a few years ago.  Those were some tight living quarters, but for the era in which this was built, it was common.  I took the image from the road and resisted the urge to walk out to it since I didn't have permission.  If I recall, there was a barbed wire fence in the way, I just took the shot over the fence.

To me, a building such as this that has withstood so many years of the elements is a reflection of the folks that built it.  They were tough.  There was no running water, no electricity, no indoor plumbing.  I'm sure they had a garden for vegetables and a milk cow in a pen out back.  Much of their table fare was likely supplied by hunting for a rabbit, or some other wild game.  Trips to town were few and a major endeavor.

We surely take a lot of things for granted these days as we live in our palaces and have our meals delivered.  I suspect there are lots of folks who couldn't handle it.

There are still tough people -- even in this country of luxury.  They aren't the kind of "tough" portrayed in the movies which depicts "toughness" as violence; they are the kind of "tough" that endures hardship and challenge and that overcomes the obstacles that continually seem to be placed in their path.  They survive in spite of the odds which seem to be stacked against them.

I'm not talking of the "silver spoon" folks who have a network of financial and other help, I'm talking about those who are born in circumstances that put them at a disadvantage, yet are able to rise above that life to one of productivity and success.  Some see success as the poor kid who ended up as a star athlete, or entertainer; what I'm referring to is the one who worked to provide for his family while getting a high school education and then went on to college and a job where they learned skills that allowed them to rise within the organization, or perhaps to step out and start their own business.  In a way, they are the pioneers of today.  They pave the way as an example of overcoming the odds.

In today's world it seems to be "the thing" to take advantage of ignorance.  I see ignorance as an opportunity to educate.  Maybe I'm a bit altruistic, but I believe the responsibility that comes with the blessings I have received is to pass on the things I have learned to those in need.

My post drifted a bit. 

Surviving the Storms

There is an interesting tree growing down in the woods on our place -- well, there are many interesting trees, but this one is uniquely twisted and gnarled.  It isn't a large tree, but it has obviously had a few challenges to overcome during its life.  I would love to know its story.

It is near an old cattle trail that winds through the woods.  I suspect it was stepped on by a cow and broken when it was only a young shoot rising through the leaf litter and other debris on the ground.  

It may even have been broken multiple times by the look of it as it twists and turns on a tortuous path before rising toward the scant sunlight breaking through the larger trees which overhang the trail.

It is a Bois d'Arc tree.  Bois d'Arc, also known as Osage Orange, or Post Trees are fairly common in our area and known for their hardiness.  Early construction laws required that homes be built on a pier and beam foundation which used Bois d'Arc for the piers since they are extremely resistant to insect damage.

I have pulled old Bois d'Arc fence posts from the ground that were likely put in over 50 years previously.  They show surface damage from tunneling beetles and other insects, but if you cut them in cross-section, the inside is still a bright yellow and completely undamaged other than a gray ring around the outside surface that might penetrate 1/8 to 1/4 inch.

The trees themselves, while green and growing, have a strong springy quality that is said to have inspired the name which I understand comes from early French explorers who noted its quality for making hunting bows.  Many of the Plains tribes used the wood for that very purpose.  It is extremely durable.

The Bois d'Arc is a thorny tree.  The short, thin spines seem to reach out and grab you if you are close to the trees.  They also bear large green fruit which fall to the ground and are eaten by a few animals.  I have seen cows chew on them for extended periods and froth at the mouth from the process.  Hogs, squirrels and other small animals will eat them although they don't seem to be a preferred food of any species.

The Bois d'Arc is a survivor.  I have cut them down frequently only to see them grow back quickly.  They are survivors.  They aren't usually aesthetically pleasing, but they endure.

I suppose I see a certain beauty in them though.  I admire their tenacity, if you could ascribe such a trait to a tree.  They are tough, they are prickly and they endure.  I know a few people like that.  Sometimes I think that's the best kind of person to be -- one who endures the pain and troubles and manages to survive.  They carry lots of scars, but oh, the stories they could tell....