Alligator juniper

For tonight's solstice fire, we burned a bundle of juniper wood that I picked up from a fuel wood market in downtown Phoenix. I could tell by the scaly bark that it was from an Alligator juniper (Juniperus deppeana). The man I bought it from told me that it was  harvested from a clear cut up near Williams, AZ. Although I shudder to think that these amazing old trees are being clear cut, we could at least feel that these limbs were burned with reverence. The wood burns clean and smells so sweet.

A couple of months ago we visited an ancient alligator up near Flagstaff. This one has seen many centuries, and undoubtedly many young boys in its limbs over the years.

Happy Solstice!