On a warm summer morning during one of my Sunday Adventures to the mountains I stood ankle deep in a creek trying to capture the stillness of rocks and fluidity of water. At one point I slipped on a wet rock and could swear I heard someone exude a muffled snicker at my clumsiness. I turned and looked but the campground  was empty with the exception of this large rock with a sawed off stump perched atop.

I imagine the little stump is quite bored up there and was keenly watching me ramble around with my tripod and camera which are much larger than the little point and shoots he is used to seeing. I’m sure he occasionally sees a few campers but mostly he sits and watches the creek as it darts around the other rocks in its path.

He landed on this rock as a seedling and was proud of his high perch. Rain would provide him some water now and then and the rock had minerals he could use, so it was just a matter of stretching his roots to the ground for his other needs. But eventually the little tree succumbed to disease or lack of nutrients to sustain him. His leaves fell off and soon he was bare. He watched his fellow seedlings that landed in the soft forest floor grow and thrive into mature trees. Then to add insult to injury a camper considering him dead, sawed off his upper trunk for firewood, leaving only the stump to rot away atop his rocky perch.

But soon another forest plant dropped its spores on the rock after a good rain. Soon the little stump and the new seedlings became fast friends and the stump offered up his dried roots as shelter while the little plant grew. The stump now had no use for his roots and encouraged the little plants to feed on the nutrients that remained within. Soon the little plants began to multiply and spread across the rock face. This year provided much needed rain for the little plants so they were able to thrive and live along side the little stump. Soon other plants found their way onto the rock and now the stump was surrounded by a bevy of friends. The stump knows his days are numbered but takes joy in providing nutrients to his new friends and sometimes is even visited by the birds of the forest. His flat top providing a nice landing pad and view of the surrounding area. A couple of spiders also sought refuge under the stump and hide in the shadow of the rock while they await their next meal.

The circle of life continues in this area as it does around the world. People come and go frequently, but the little stump will remain for years. The new plants may thrive a season or two but are likely candidates for short lives if the rains do not continue, or a particularly cold winter hits, or the campers injure them. Meanwhile the rock, sitting silently for thousands of years observes it all and weathers slowly, rarely touching the waters of the creek except after severe flooding. The rock is strong, the creek waters impatiently rush to the ocean, bugs pass by or seek refuge in the shadows, the plants grow and die, and I was there a few minutes  in time to hear their story.  How could I not take the portrait of this little blended family?