The Cottonwood Tree

I think this is the perfect shade tree. (It is the one in the blog-header) The new office where I work is out in the country and the tree is below the building. It is an old cottonwood tree and from the size of it, I would think it has been around a couple of centuries. The land surrounding it was used as a Union campground during the Civil War. Now the neighbor's dog seems to enjoy the cool ground near the trunk. In the early mornings, when I arrive, the dog is spread out in his favorite spot beneath the tree, while his owner, an elderly lady, is working in her vegetable garden. Every morning, I remind myself to treasure the sight and appreciate a landscape that is slowly disappearing from our precious earth.