I've cared for a Baby Tree Oak since 2016. This Summer it was ravaged by the scorch of the heatwaves but I had to learn a lesson of strength from it. And this is the story. I hope you find it hopeful and motivational.

The "son" of a legendary Oak tree

I collected the acorn from Kisulabe in Autumn 2016. Kisulabe is a very ancient and dying oak, but still somehow produces acorns, so I collected a couple with the hope of "perpetuating" him. After all they in life you must plant at least one tree. Five years later it is still on a big pot but I hope one day I can move and plant it in my own yard. It is outgrowing too fast though.

This is a picture of me visiting Kisulabe. I'm standing by the trunk which is the widest in my region.

I brough and acorn home and I gave a try
And life is miraculous so the miracle indeed happened

This is Suuri Tammi in April, 2017 when I filmed it to be part of my video GROW. He was also the inspiration for the logo for that music video. The pillbug roly poly appeared also along with it and we named her Kokeneli, it lived in the pot for up to three years :) I used to call her "Suuri Tammi's guardian"

I called the little seedling "Suuri Tammi" which means big oak in Finnish.
This is a picture of my "big oak" on April, 2016

Oak, a symbol of strength

The world tree comes from proto-Indoeuropean Drys, which literally means oak. Green used the same root and taht's why the spirit of the trees are called "Dryads". In many cultures Oaks are considered sacred and a symbol of strength and endurance. Celts believed Trees connected to the Otherworld. Each Ogham rune names after a tree. DUIR, the OAK, most sacred, is the 7th 🌳of the Ogham alphabet & symbolizes strength (also to speak the truth)

Being considered the most sacred of trees, it was believed to be also a portal to the Otherworld. And sometimes you stumble upon hollow Oaks that look exactly like so.

Summer 2022, Heatwaves scorched my little Oak: A lesson about thriving

As many know, this Summer in Europe has been awfully hot and we have faced one of the worse (ongoing) droughts of our history. Creeks run dry, and leaves showcase a muted. Grass has turned yellow and the land is thirsty.
I keep my plants at a little terrace but with it has no awning to provide shade so we had to improvise with sheets and a folding clothesline to make a tent that we would movie as the sun would move to provide some shelter from the bleaching light. And there was a day where temperature reached 44 degrees Celsius and nothing could be done as I cannot move it. The sun scorched on the edges
This is how it started on that day

The dull non tender edges soon became fully brown and it was obvious those leaves were far too gone

Looking for information online those leaves are in fact doomed to die and be shed, just like it happens in Autumn, it makes no sense for the plant to "feed" them and it signals the hormones for them to fall. But meanwhile it's a good advice to leave them be as somehow those burnt leaves act as a natural shade for the ones that were not damaged.
Suuri Tammi, my wee oak was in very bad shape, it barely had any leaf left that were tender and green.

I thought it wouldn't make it... but I still had a lesson to learn from it

A few days after they started to fall

And with no green leaves and still very hot conditions I felt it was going to die.

Having no awning we had to improvise some shades with folding clothespins and bed sheets and cautiously move it during the day so he would be protected from the sun at all times. Whenever it was more cloudy we would uncover because of course it needed the light. It was an exercise of hope and patience

And it had its reward...

It started to sproud new leaves

On every branch and knot, it was like it wanted to explore all possibilities... It's never had so many leaves before.
And with constant care it was as lush as it's ever been.
I wonder now that Fall is near if this may have messed its "cycle" because I did not expect it would renew entirely in August already.

Lessons learned

Sometimes you just have to endure.
I have not been in good shape this Summer, that's why I haven't posted much around. I have been working on so many things and failing to get them finished. I have struggled a lot with sleep and fatigue and even motivation. Proof is that I haven't posted much because I have felt drained and overwhelmed...
Yet, we thrive...
We thrive...
And so Suuri Tammi taught me this lesson

These are Suuri Tammi new leaves all grown and healthy.
With one month caring to water every day and keeping in in the shade whenever sun was too strong. It has required constant monitoring but he made it.

All those trees so tall were once tiny seeds
that stood against the strongest winds
and keep thriving shade or sheen

Remember...

Dare to hope

Some mighty Old Oaks in my region

I hope oone day "Suuri Tammi" becomes as big as its father, a sentinel of the seasons. After all its name means "big oak" so this is what it's meant to be.
And now I know what Oaks are a symbol of strength
Here are some pictures of some of the centennial Oaks in my region

Jauntsarats Oakwoods

Lizarraga Oak

Orkin Oak

Orgi Forest Oakwoods

Do you have a garden or plants? How have they fend this hot Summer?

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Until next! And thanks for your support!

Be strong like an oak

Above: Oak bar texture

I have another "thriving" story this Summer

Besides this little Oak fairytale that I hope you find hopeful and inspiring, there is another example of endurace that has affected me this Summer. A little bird that has made it against all odds and I'll share "her" story in a forthcoming post

And stay tuned, new music video coming this week and of course I shall share a blog post here

Here is a sneak peek, so come stop by my blog this week

Meanwhile Suuri Tammi was featured here in this video

And even inspired the logo I painted for it... and now you know the story and what it symbolises

Keep growing, folks!
Until next! This time very soon :) I have something almost ready