The Spreading Oak

OK, so it was a spreading chestnut tree which was immortalised by Longfellow in the poem  The Village Blacksmith.
But the spreading oak standing in the village green is equally the epitome of the quintessential English countryside, and in this instance by the side of the cricket club building on the edge of the village cricket ground.
I spied the oak tree from afar, the symmetry of its shape catching my eye, and as I was drawn closer I could not help admire the almost majestic stature it assumes slap bang in the centre of the village recreation ground.
Now, oak trees are by no means uncommon around here; we have two in our garden and it seems they are all around, with one perilously close to our place just across the road and bearing signs of branches that have died off.
They say the oak can live for up to 200 years and may be up to 80ft tall and with a spread that will provide shade for a huge area around.
This one on the village green does just that, and I have to admit I am rather more comfortable with this one in a wide open space than the two in the garden. Especially come autumn when the leaves begin to fall. And they have even provided an accessible route to our roof space for squirrels which we found had got in under the eaves and were nesting in the loft. They were dispatched with little ceremony, having already caused some damage to the roof insulation and attempted eating books.

But back to the village green. This is England and who can resist the English countryside in its glory.