I included the illustration of this photograph, drawn by Patti Malmborg Reilly, in Side Channels following the Epilogue. It shows a fall view of my prairie-savanna restoration and a hickory tree that is the tallest tree on the property, and, as far as I can tell, the tallest tree for miles around.
I first noticed this tree in 1999, while I was looking to purchase a house with some acreage. The realtor who showed the property to me was pointing out certain features of the house, but I kept looking at this tree. She said something about aluminum siding and the age of the roof, and I replied, “Look at the size of that hickory tree! It’s got to be well over one hundred years old.” In the final analysis, I think this tree sealed the deal for me. Soon after moving in, though, I was battling a leaking roof. But a couple of years ago, my wife, Julie, saw a bald eagle perching on the big hickory.
One of the themes running through Side Channels is my fascination with and search for wilderness and what might be termed a “wilderness experience.” I hope that the Epilogue helps explain what I have found in my many years of travels.