Good timber does not grow with ease.

[Kire]

The stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.

[Droopy]

1. Have you ever seen those trees

that have shaped themselves to the wind? I see them all the time in the otherwise empty corn and soy bean fields of Ohio. It's like you'll see this one big tree in a field or right on the edge. The wind comes out of the west most of the time here in Ohio and this tree will have it's limbs bent back and pointed toward the east.

[Droopy]

2. I did not realize the metaphor

of your post in my first post, but then I looked at my first post and I realized that it is a metaphor as well. Be it inadvertanly.

[Kire]

3. we had one in my back yard growing up

We called it "the Z tree".

It might be hard finding a picture right now. If I can scan it in, I'll post it here. Don't hold your breath, though.

[JitterbugPerfume]

4. those trees

are very beautiful

but the willow bends