Stickley of Pin Oak Hollow

Part I ~Stickley Stickley stands about a twig and a half tall as measured in the Standard Forest System of Measurement (SFSM). This is average height for this kind of forest being and perfect for the task of Stream Manager. Too much taller and he would stand out as a freak of nature, so to speak, scaring off local forest folks who could mistake him for a little Big One which would cause these folks to run and hide from their natural predator. Any shorter than a twig, and a Stream Manager’s ratio of height to the average water level in the average stream would cause him or her to easily lose footing and be carried downstream. No, Stickley’s height is optimum for his vocation giving him the necessary stature to leverage and lift what he needs to on any given day. A Stream Manager’s selfless superintendence of the local stream provides an essential function in the life and vitality of every woodland habitation. Few other jobs in the forest solicit such universal appreciation, and as Stream Manager, Stickley is highly regarded amongst his peers. Stickley got his name because he was, well, thin as a stick growing up. As he matured, he gained height and girth. Joining his father as a young apprentice Stream Bed Manager, he soon gained much-needed muscle. When Stickley passed the “sapling age” and entered young manhood (usually 5 seasons), he was old enough and strong enough to fully take on the streambed assignment handed down to him from his father who received his assignment from his father before him. As the saying went, “Strong enough to lift, and smart enough to leverage”, determined when a young Stream Manager could start his apprenticeship. Once Stickley had the mental foresight for problem solving and the physical strength to haul large stones and branches, he was ready to step into his role full time and without further oversight. On that proud day when Stickley turned a young adult, he packed his meager belongings--1 winter coat, 1 rain poncho, an acorn cap, and a cherished family portrait crafted from seeds by his maternal granny--he said good-bye to his elderly parents at Point Promise, and moved downstream into Pin Oak Hollow. Stickley inherited the Hollow from his great uncle. One of the most prestigious homes in the entire forest regions, it would have been an impossible acquisition for such a young manager, but Stickley understood the blessing and responsibility of being its new owner and he made an inner vow to steward well all that was given to him to manage. Part II ~ Pin Oak Hollow Pin Oak Hollow sits smack at the turn of a lengthy stretch of Amblin’ River. That curve is renowned for the lush mountain moss hanging like thick velvety green lava rolling over the banks and dripping into the river below. The terrain is unique because nowhere else does moss grow in cascades that roll over the banks like it does there at The Bend. In that mossy green turn lies Pin Oak Hollow, a renowned guidepost used by many to mark their way along the Amblin’ River. Many forest people direct travelers with the preface, “When you get to The Bend and Pin Oak Hollow...” If you ever get off the river to trek the land beyond the banks, the moss plateaus stretch out into a plush green carpet landscape known to all bare-footed travelers who have enjoyed the sweet velvet touch on their feet. Every resident within 100 log-lengths knows the landmarks of Moss Bend and Pin Oak Hollow. It possesses unsurpassed charm and beauty. Pin Oak Hollow also has one of the most alluring histories for hollow homes within the Faintly Forest Stream region. Unlike most hollows that are formed by animals, disease or disaster, Pin Oak was forged by a unique interdependence of two oak seedlings carried by high winds to take root next to each other. Over the ensuing years that turned to decades, storms and winds forced the two small saplings to cling to each other, buttressing themselves face-to-face, protecting themselves against the driving elements. Over time their young green limbs entangled as they reached upward hand-in-hand. Soon the two grew as one massive pin oak tree. A gap remained at the base of their union and upward into the trunk a bit, providing a perfect hollowed-out cavity that became a stately home for many over the seasonal cycles. Now it is Stickley’s home. In the hot summer months, Pin Oak Hollow’s big, strong, leafy branches canopy the mossy ground below with a sun stippled awning making a magical light show for those resting lazily on the lush bed below. In the bitter winter days, the heavy branches and thick trunk give a feeling of strength and protection from those same high winds and snow storms that long ago threatened the two tender saplings. Stickley feels perfectly safe within their mature burley trunk. In the fall, inevitably the oak showers the forest floor with breathtakingly beautiful gold, red and bronze leaves, so inspiring before becoming so troublesome in clean-up. And spring brings a bright cheery green that lifts everyone’s spirits after a cold, drab winter. In every season, Pin Oak Hollow is magical.