Big Hemlock, Tiny Carpenters and the Helmet People
THE CHRONICLES
Dear Chronicle,
Something very strange happened recently.
It started when Mom went to admire the Beautiful Blue Flowers growing at the bottom of Big Hemlock the Tree in my backyard.
I thought she was just looking at flowers.
Instead, she found trouble.
She called Dad over, and they both stared into a hollow in Big Hemlock.
Dad removed a big pile of something called frass.
I don't know what frass is.
But I could tell nobody was excited to find it.
The next day, the frass was back.
I thought that was quite magical.
Apparently, Dad thought otherwise.
He spent a long time on the phone.
I heard him say there were ants doing carpentry inside our tree.
Now, I have many questions about this.
Mostly, where did the ants get their tools?
I waited to see if tiny ant workers would appear.
They did not.
Instead, two very unusual humans arrived.
They wore bright orange jackets, black helmets, and carried ropes.
They walked around Big Hemlock, looked up at the branches, and examined the trunk carefully.
Everyone seemed very interested in our tree.
Perhaps Big Hemlock the Tree had become famous.
Or perhaps the squirrel convention was being held there.
I still don't know.
One of the Helmet People climbed almost to the top while the other stayed below.
Branches began floating gently to the ground, held by ropes.
Like a giant leafy elevator.
Whoever was in charge of those ropes deserved a treat.
But before long, Big Hemlock the Tree was gone.
I still don't know if the tree had become famous...
or if the squirrel convention was cancelled.
But I do know this:
Big Hemlock the Tree was a very good tree.
And I was a little sad to see it go.
