Caution: Ent Crossing!

"My home is deep in the forest near the roots of the mountains." - Treebeard, in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.


I grew up in rural Juniata County, Pennsylvania, a stone's throw from Lost Creek, the water way that is pictured in this photo.

We went home on Sunday afternoon for a family reunion, and I had the opportunity to walk up the creek to a local waterfall with some family members.

It was quite a warm day, though not as hot as the few that preceded it; but the air around the creek was cool, every rock was covered in soft green moss, and the waters were crystal clear and clean and refreshing.

Once in a great while in life, you are privileged to have an encounter with magic. The two trees in the center of this picture are the legs of an Ent, one of the huge tree-creatures that are the ancient protectors of the forests made famous in the J.R.R. Tolkien books.

Isn't it wonderful to know that these ancient creatures are still out there, protecting Pennsylvania's wild woods and waters? What a privilege to have finally captured one on film!