A Walk in the Woods

On our last day, I took Emily to Muir Woods, about a half-hour from the seminary. It is one of the few remaining sanctuaries of the Redwood forests, which used to cover much of Northern California.

These trees can grow upwards of 300 feet tall and are straight as an arrow. The bark looks like sinew, being rooted in the ground only 10 feet deep but up to 100 feet in diameter.

Walking in these woods makes me think of Lord of the Rings. Many of the trees grow in families, intertwining their roots for support. Within one grove, eleven trees surrounded a dead one, which had given birth to its "children." It made me think of the Apostles...

It's as if we'res standing between the legs of one of Tolkein's Ents!

Or being eaten by one!