Becca Hall captured our town perfectly in her essay “Stump Proud” (HCN, 7/23/12). I am fortunate to live on the opposite side of the Upper Snoqualmie Valley. On my acre and a half, I have some of those old stumps left from the clear-cuts of the early 1900s. In fact, I have 90- and 100-foot-tall hemlocks and Western red cedars growing out of the remnants of those old Doug firs. I love my stumps; they are one of the main reasons I bought this property a dozen years ago. So, Becca, you are welcome to come up and walk through my forest any time. Maybe that will help ease the sting of knowing there are so many who don’t understand the value of old rotting stumps. They are not just beneficial nurseries for this next generation of trees but are the promise of a future where perhaps our lost giants can thrive again.
Maura T. Callahan
Snoqualmie, Washington
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Stump appreciation.
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