The Angel Oak

The day before Thanksgiving, we began our giving of thanks by venturing out to John's Island to see a very old and very beautiful tree. The Angel Oak is reportedly the oldest thing (living or man-made) east of the Rockies -- over 1400 years old. It is only 65 feet tall, but it has a circumference of 25 feet and provides a canopy of over 17,000 square feet. We were humbled in the presence of such history and majesty and evermore grateful for all of our lucky and happy days together.

Here we are:

The tree looked completely different based upon your vantage point, and we tried to take it in from every angle. We made our way around, under, and over the branches absolutely captivated. Full disclosure: when I say "we," I really mean me, Bill, and my mom. Owen thought the Angel Oak was "ok." Here were the things he REALLY got excited about:

1) A glass jar of baby food: It was time for a snack, so Owen ate a jar of "Bananas, Prunes, and Brown Rice" under the tree and then got to HOLD THE EMPTY JAR. This was very exciting since it is not usually allowed. (You know, since the baby food we buy comes in glass jars and since there is a high likelihood of something Owen is holding being thrown on the floor for fun and since we try to keep Owen away from broken glass.) Here he is enjoying this rare treat, holding his jar higher and prouder than Lady Liberty holds her torch of freedom:

2) The Angel Oak power supply: In those 17,000 square feet of canopy, Owen did not waste any time locating the electrical cords in the vicinity.
This situation was not entirely different from this scene in E.T.:
3) A wooden sign: To most visitors, this is an unobtrusive sign beseeching them to "Help Save the Angel Oak for Future Generations" by not climbing on or carving in the tree. To Owen it was a veritable jackpot of exhilaration.
It was just his size with letters and pictures he could touch and examine closely. He could grab the sign on each side and shake it a bit. And a wide and strong surface provided ample percussive opportunities, with different interesting sounds depending on where he would strike and with what object. Shown below, Owen kicks it up a notch for a double-your-pleasure combo deal, using the baby food jar to bang on the sign.
As we headed back into Charleston for some last-minute shopping, three of us were under the spell of the Angel Oak, while one dreamt of glass, electricity, and wood.