“Like a fully rotted tree, it stands until it falls. That is, until the moment it falls, it appears as it had for hundreds of years. Yet, a moment later, it’s on the ground.”
That’s not exactly correct. Do you have any experience with fully rotted trees?
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Semantic’s statement is quite correct WRT old valley oaks (Quericus Lobata).
Happens every summer in California. 300 year old oaks split open due to the rot in the trunk, dropping massive limbs on magestic Ranch houses frequently.
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