Thomas Trock

Mountain Cathedrals: The Outdoors From a Different Perspective

Trees & Plants

Ponderosa Pine

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. 1 Timothy 3:16 Ponderosa pines are rather majestic trees that are fairly easy to identify from even a long distance away. Their trunks usually grow tall and straight, and can be quite large in diameter even several feet off the ground. Ponderosa pines can grow to a height of 230 feet. They tend to be found in sites that are drier than most in the …

Read morePonderosa Pine

Courage

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9 Sometimes whilst hiking the mountains, I get to see things I think are rather remarkable. I’ve walked past this tree a few times over the years and I don’t think there has been a time that I haven’t stopped to study it. Years ago a small seed from a ponderosa pine landed among these big rocks. The chance of that seed surviving even a year had to be close to zero. From the size of this …

Read moreCourage

Snag

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. Isaiah 43:19-20 NLT Here’s a rather interesting bit of info: There are times and places where a dead tree can actually create and provide more habitat for wildlife than …

Read moreSnag

Springtime in the Mountains

 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new…” Revelation 21:5       One of the welcome signs of spring in my part of the world is the flowering of the trillium. After months of early darkness, along with ice and snow, seeing a trillium blooming in the mountains is just plain good for my soul.      Trilliums are found in many areas of the world and the flowers can vary in color. The ones I see most often on my hikes are white, although I sometimes see the red and pink varieties as well. They like …

Read moreSpringtime in the Mountains