Hiram, we love you...

I sit at one of my favorite picnic spots in the Blue Ridge at Doughton Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

Again, I am solo. The only human in sight or sound. 

No human voices or machines. Only my breath and the crunching of my salad.

The quiet, despite my crunching, is so very sacred.

In my element, one that brings me peace and comfort and connection.  

I feel so at home in this place, in these beloved mountains with her rocks and trees, caves and mile-plus high peaks, rattlesnakes and bears, hawks and vultures, creeks and rivers, forests and high meadows...

Now, what was I gonna write about? 

Oh yeah...

~*~

I sit at a concrete picnic table, eating the salad and food I'd brought along, overlooking an ocean of never-ending mountains. Like I said...in my element.

About halfway through my meal a motorcycle drives up, parks, and off gets its driver. The man was maybe 8 years my junior. We talk of our love for this place. He shares memories, pointing to a spot in our view where he used to visit regularly -- his dad's former homeplace. 

As we share stories, I learn he works in construction and home repair. I asks if he services the area where Hubby and I live; we are in need of some (probably) major home repairs. (We'd been working with a company for over a decade trying to diagnose and resolve some issues. We were now questioning some of those diagnoses and proposed fixes, some of which we'd already had done.) He doesn't service our area, but his friend does. He calls his friend to make sure he has his friend's correct business phone number and lets his friend know that I might be calling soon. Within a week I call his friend, Jody, and set an appointment for the end of September. 

~*~

Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina on September 26th and 27th. I cry all day on the 27th and into the following weeks. A part of me hears Earth stating, "These are my mountains, not yours." "Yours" referring to us humans and our propensity to "develop" lands. Anymore, I think I mostly agree with John Denver's description: "...Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more; More people, more scars upon the land..."

We learn, thankfully, that our friends and family are safe, most with no damage at all. They were out of the "blast zone" as Hubby puts it, an apt description. 

~*~

Jody arrives at our home around September 29th. The diagnosis, "You can save the house or save the tree, but not both." My heart breaks and I wonder which is the thing to do, Save the house or save Hiram? Seriously, that is what I thought and felt. But obviously, the choice would be the house. 

It was hard blow... 

But at least we have a home, I thought knowing that so many had lost theirs to Helene. 

The tree is our beloved Hiram, a huge red scarlet oak. He is beautifully handsome. His crown spreads out royally providing shade, bird and squirrel homes, nuts for food, beauty and comfort, nourishment and sustenance. He has come to my aid often in times of distress, turmoil, loss, grief. And he has accompanied me during times of joy, bliss, gratitude. 

That week I drew a picture of Hiram in my journal and asked if he could stop growing the roots that are affecting the foundation of our house. I wondered if there was a way to put something like a steel plate to stop the roots' growth on that side of the tree. In my journal, I drew a solid plate across one side of Hiram's roots figuring it was probably just wishful thinking and wondering if such that it might harm Hiram. I let Hiram know I do not want to hurt him, but that we do need to save the house. 

~*~

After Hubby and I are settled on our decision I call our arborist, Drew, to schedule the huge task of felling Hiram. After Hiram is cut down, we'd need to hire someone else to have our beloved porch and deck demolished; they are in a state of disrepair. Then Jody would do his waterproofing, but he can go ahead with a new gutter system anytime. After the waterproofing we'd have to hire someone else to rebuild the deck and porch.

I call Drew and relay to him what all we are looking at...

"Well, I feel certain we can save Hiram," he responds. He knows Hiram well having saved him one time already some ten years ago. 

"Oh my god. Really?!?" I was in disbelief. 

He explains how it can be done. And then I learn that his crew also does demolition and waterproofing for foundations. And one of his crew's dads builds decks and porches. 

He and his business partner, Will, are at our house within a couple weeks...

Yes, it looks like Hiram can be saved...

We would know more after the demolition and a detailed foundation inspection...

But again, they feel sure they can build something to save Hiram and the foundation...

They'd done this same work on other homes...

Hubby and I think about it for a few weeks, weighing any pros and cons.

But there really weren't any cons to weigh.

We let Jody know we had decided to go with Drew but that we still wanted his company to install the new gutter system, which they did within a couple weeks. His company did not know how to build what Drew and Will had proposed which could possibly save both our home and Hiram.

Little did we know at the time what Drew and crew would find once they dug out around this 60-year-old home...

~*~

John Denver with Rocky Mountain High...
I've only been to the Rockies once(?)...

I've been to the Blue Ridge at least 10,000 times...

The same sentiments apply...