The Ageless Aspens
I was looking out of my kitchen window at how the light hit upon our pretty aspen trees.
I’m actually surprised that we came home to the golden leaves clinging on for dear life because their sister trees around the neighbourhood are mostly naked, poor things.
These trees are quite common here in western Canada along with the many fir trees . It is rare to see maple or oak trees which are two of my favourites from Ontario. But aspens are seen everywhere in my neighbourhood -almost instead of fences- as they grow so tall, straight, and you can line them up.
Aspen are medium-sized deciduous trees, commonly 20 to 80 feet in height, and 3 to 18 inches diameter. But apparently you can occasionally find trees more than 80 feet tall and larger than 24 inches diameter. Their bark is smooth, greenish-white, yellowish-white, yellowish-gray, or gray to almost white in color.
Populus tremuloides is a deciduous tree native to cooler areas of North America, one of several species referred to by the common name aspen. It is commonly called quaking aspen, trembling aspen, American aspen, mountain or golden aspen, trembling poplar, white poplar, and popple, as well as others.
I always enjoy driving to the mountains in the Fall and seeing the bright yellow aspens that line the sides of the roads. They are also very pretty in the Spring as they have bright green leaves that tickle their white bark.
Terry and I have painted images of them many times like the ones on the right above….
A bit of folklore for you :
“Of old the aspen was a tree of heroes, whose crowns of trembling leaves gave them the power not only to visit the Underworld, but also to return safely. ... Aspis, the aspen's Greek name, means shield and amongst the Celts its lightweight wood was indeed favoured for making shields.”
The leaves are raked and it won’t be long before the snows arrive. But the aspens will stand tall and waiting for Spring…just like me!