Death of a tree

above: Feb.20, 2008 - looking along the south side of Robinson St., just east of Main St., in Niagara Falls, Ont., as a school building is demolished; an old oak, with its full crown, is seen in the foreground.

above: May 5, 2008 - the oak re-awakens in spring, for what will turn out to be its last season

above: Nov.3, 2008; the oak in autumn, now with its upper trunk and crown broken off

above: Nov.14, 2008, the oak's lower limbs have dropped their autumn leaves for the final time

above: Jan.5, 2009; the oak with the Skylon in the distance.

above: Mar.5, 2009; the oak's limbs have been cut.

Note the crane on top of the Hilton under construction at the right distance.

above: Apr.21, 2009 - the oak tree has been cut down

above: Apr.21, 2009, closer view of where the oak had grown for the last century or two.

above: Apr.21, 2009 - close up view of the tree stump, which I had measured at six feet across.
The rings of the tree got very dense towards the center, but I counted at least two hundred rings.