A Story of Family and Change

The Wind in the Trees

Photo of Enar picking Hops in the Willamette Valley, Oregon | Author Family Photo

At the tree line, where vine maple and scrub alder retake a skid road’s assault on the forest, I try to see him. I remember how he moved, as a dark silhouette, hulking and slow with age, working his way down the ridge into position. From across the canyon, I sit and watch on a massive stump, while the morning breaks the cold sweat between shadow and light.