The oldest stump I know

See that stump there?

The one floating in the lake?

Yeah, it's currently floating in Crater Lake in Oregon. It's called the Old Man of the Lake, and you could go out to Oregon and see it yourself if you wanted to.

Sure, the weather at Crater Lake's a bit rough this time of year with a bunch of snow on the ground, but it's above freezing during the days now that March has rolled around.

The neat thing about the aforementioned stump is that it has been floating in the lake (a pretty amazing lake in its own rights) for a documented 112 years now. It's been bobbing along through the lake - making pretty good time from what I can find - for longer than just about anybody on the planet could possibly remember. It's been drifting with the wind - with one notable exception...

Since he can be seen virtually anywhere on Crater Lake, boat pilots commonly communicate his position to each other as a matter of safety. At two feet across and four feet high, the Old Man would not be someone to meet when traveling by boat across the lake. During the submarine explorations in 1988, scientists agreed to the idea of tying up the Old Man off the eastern side of Wizard Island. They reasoned that this navigational hazard had to be neutralized until the day and night shifts of research work had ended. Strangely enough, the weather went from clear to stormy and even scientists get nervous when this occurs on the lake. It seemed as if the weather was poor so long as the Old Man remained bound. Once the log was freed, however, the weather settled.

...since Grover Cleveland took office the second time...since before my great grandparents were more than a twinkle in the eye of their parents.

And I'm thinking that I need to get out to Crater Lake sometime if he'll agree to bob along a couple more years.