Yes Tim and Penny, not only did you immortalize your love in the bark of this very nice birch, but now you are immortalized in my blog as well. Ok, your relationship probably didn’t last. And not to pick on Tim and Penny specifically, but how about “MD + JP”, “Sue + Tom”, and of course the ever favorite “John and Kim TLA.” All probably history by now, but this tree still bears your insignificant proclamations.
Please forgive my bitterness, but I have never understood the compulsion to carve one’s initials in the side of a tree. I know, I know – to be young and stupid – or perhaps the growing sign of age with my intolerance. Is it that much of a tribute to another person? Would the kids key the same on the side of their car? Or are all natural objects simply around to serve whatever our whims may be? Hopefully someday people like this will learn to appreciate the details of nature, and how valuable and increasingly rare they are without their personal mark on them. Better yet, go the tatoo route instead – show the real commitment to each other. The relationship will certainly last longer that way. 
Fortunately nature has ways of erasing some of our impacts. Some of this birch has peeled away, and fortunately didn’t succumb to insect invasion through the many cuts it received. I see this happening in many other aspects of nature – where we may destroy an area completely, and if left alone long enough, nature reclaims.
The birch tolerated Tim and Penny, just as nature tolerates so many of our trespasses. One day people may see respect for other things and people are better ways to show appreciation and dedication. I can only hope.
Well Mark, you really hit one of my pet peeves this morning. The only nature-besmirching griffiti I actually like is the historical kind. (i.e., older than 150 years) — like the names of pioneers at El Morro National Monument in NM.
Some years back I greatly offended a 12 year old who was in the process of etching his name into some sulfur-coated rocks near Old Faithful. He stopped, but boy was he torqued. It felt pretty good being citizen cop.
We hope to see people with more respect but it seems where I’m from it falls in the other direction. I had the blessing of being raised in the woods literally by my dad a great amount of the time and learned to love it as he did. But many of the woods we romped are being leveled so how is a child to learn to love the wilderness? Great article.
A very nice old man I know took his grandson out fishing on a creek I used to wade often and was attacked by six young men. Talk about an absurdity!
No respect for nature nor old men.
Hey Mark, I’m afraid I don’t have enough faith in humans to ever totally stop the distruction of nature.
Mike – I think much the same thing.
Boyd – I often wonder if it is a urban (or even suburban life) – and a lot of kids just being bored out of their minds when they are in front of anything but a video game or tv.
Chris – that’s funny! I’ll bet he got over it, if not just to return another day (i hope not!)
Mark,
I couldn’t agree with you more. And no need to apologize for your bitterness…it’s that anger that feeds our action…
Places of nature are sacred to me—the graffiti, the trash, the dis-respect for our fellow creatures is nothing short of a desecration. And isn’t it a macro shot of what we’re doing to this world on a larger scale? Like Mike above, it’s a struggle sometimes to stay positive; I’ve found that being proactive, as insignificant as it may be, helps me.
We bring trash bags with us on all of our outings, try to run our business as green as possible (and support other businesses that do the same), and try our best to treat all life with respect.
Beautiful work such as yours can only help by sharing the amazing beauty this world gives us.
Peace, Heather
Mark,
Don’t know if you have ever been to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky, but you ought to see all the Natural Arches that have been vandalized by graffiti.
Bernie, I think I would be quite upset to see such a thing. Such a shame.
We are as much a part of nature as that tree is.
Mark,
Intolerance has no age discrimination. Some of us are young(er) and intolerant of many things as well. The issue becomes how much has society changed our willingness to act when we see something that shouldn’t be done being done?
What happens when parents feel it is no longer their responsibility to parent, but the responsibility of society? Yet, citizens of the society turn their backs to ignore poor/bad/wrong behavior they see being done in public versus doing something about it?
Stronger senses of intolerance will hopefully prevent us from ever finding out…
Oh yeah, great close up images as well!