Eucalyptus, Torrey Pines, and the Rarest Pine Cone in the World

Sometimes I feel like my life is a random series of very bizarre events that have no connections.  And then I have a day like today and it all starts to come together.  If you know me well, you know I have lived in New Zealand as a whitewater kayak and general outdoor instructor.  You probably also know I lived in Boulder Colorado, where I met my husband, and studied the art and science of massage therapy.  And you may even recall that I grew up in central Wisconsin, camping and running around outdoors at every opportunity.  And if you know me really well you are aware of my affinity for trees.  Trees figure heavily in my life.  From the Maple in my front yard that I spent many a happy hour in, to the tall pines at the campgrounds my family frequented, to my many tree friends across the world.  I hug trees.  I climb them whenever possible.  And I generally find them fascinating.

When I was in California last month I paid attention to the trees.  Especially the trees on the UCSB campus.  There were giant Blue Gums towering over the autism center we attended.  They were very comforting to me.  I know Blue Gums because I used to camp beneath them in New Zealand when I took kids out on overnights in the bush.  They are gorgeous and unusual, with a funky papery bark completely different from my beloved birch bark trees of the North.  Instead of white they are tan, and instead of bumpy they are very smooth, with the paper stripping off vertically. And so tall they touch the sky.  I have not seen one since NZ, so many years ago.  And there they were.  Gentle guardian giants.  A form of eucalyptus tree that made the whole area smell heavenly.

California is awash in different trees and plants.  Different from the stock at home.  Trees, bushes, and flowers everywhere, an assault on the senses coming from deep winter.  I could spend weeks just exploring and learning about them all.  As is was I got the briefest glances and smiles and wonders as I went by.  We were very busy on a different mission, but I could not help appreciating the flora.  And one thing in particular caught my eye.  Here and there some massive pines.  Massive, gorgeous, amazing pines.  We drove by one in Carpinteria on our last day, with a sign on it that said "1888" on it and half a city block to itself.  Oh how I longed to stop and visit that tree!  But we were late, so we drove on by and I sadly watched it go.  Later that day on campus I spied another huge pine.  Huge, beautiful, but no sign.  What it did have were massive pine cones scattered beneath it.  I could not help myself.  I had to have one.  I made the boys go on ahead while I searched out an intact cone.  It barely fit in my small bag, but I didn't care.  I nestled it in there and  brought it back home, along with two Blue Gum "acorns".  Why?  I don't really know, they are just good for my soul.

I have showed off my treasures since we got back.  I have carted them around and pulled them out like diamonds.  I am such a geek.  But again, I can't help myself.  To me they are beautiful.  And today, I found out more.  Looked up that tree in Carpinteria (ahh, the wonders of the internet), and it is indeed very special.  Look up The Wardholme Torrey Pine if you are interested, it was transplanted in 1888 by a judge that was also an exotic tree lover.  It has a long history.  Scrubby in the wild, when these trees are well cared for they grow to magnificent size.  I will be back to visit it one day.  It is the largest of it's kind at 20 feet 5 inches around.  It also turns out the Torrey pine is considered the rarest pine in the world.  Curious now, I looked up a campus map of trees at UCSB.  Again, the wonders of the internet.  I wanted to know what kind of pine I got MY cone from.   I knew it was big, and a pine.  And now I know it was also a Torrey Pine.  A cone from the rarest pine in the world.  It took 2-3 years for the cone to mature and drop.  It is as big as they come for the species, 6 inches tall and 6 inches across.  It even came with a dozen giant pine nuts that Alex kindly freed for us.  It will not grow in my home area, but we can show it off for years to come. 

What does it all mean?  That I am a nut, with a big pine cone and a good eye?  That my life is all tying together in a most interesting way?  That I am on the right path?  That I am pure crazy?  I don't really know, but it all makes me smile.  Smile, and laugh.  And smile, and laugh, and want to share a story of the crazy, beautiful, unexpected nature of this thing we call life.