The loss of a tree

Today at 2:00 while in the office a much-needed storm carrying rain blew through and lightning struck incredibly close. The proximity of the strike of course judged by the tried and true method of  how long the boom happens after the light in this case simultaneously. About a half hour later while getting something out of the truck I notice some smoke and looked down to the dry creek and smoke was bellowing out of the pasture. We have an old  ash tree which has had a hollowed out spot in the truck for many years from the base of the trunk to up about twelve feet. This of course provided a fireplace/chimney effect and the air flow  created a perfect draft to increase the initial ignition. It started out small but progressively got larger to the point that the Industry volunteer fire department got involved and quickly dispatched of the fire. The tree most likely has suffered its fatal blow and will not survive the fire I hate to see it go it’s been there since my childhood one of the trees I walked past on my way to a small creek. The small creek and the small woods around it represented wilderness to me the only wilderness I knew at the time. All  I knew for sure was it was a place I could escape to and once inside the brush line I was on my own and free from the rules that existed in the civilized world. I think maybe I should make something from this tree. But what? Carving? I don’t know but something should mark it’s passing. The old owl that lives down in this tiny patch of woods will most definitely miss the presence of this tree. Maybe an owl carving?