--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And there was a tree stump outside the…" description: "\"“And there was a tree stump outside the Black Barn everyone called 'Dave's stump' because for over three years, until a few weeks before our arrival, h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg" --- # And there was a tree stump outside the Black Barn everyone… ![“And there was a tree stump outside the Black Barn everyone called 'Dave's stump' because for over three years, until a few weeks before our arrival, he'd sat on it to read and write, sometimes even when it was raining or cold.” quote by Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg) > ““And there was a tree stump outside the Black Barn everyone called 'Dave's stump' because for over three years, until a few weeks before our arrival, he'd sat on it to read and write, sometimes even when it was raining or cold.”” [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A solitary tree stump becomes a steadfast place for creative work despite harsh weather. **In simple terms:** A simple spot offers refuge for writing and reading. Key Takeaway Find a personal sanctuary for creativity. Themes solitude creativity resilience Mood contemplative quiet Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - remote work - study sessions - artistic retreats - personal reflection Key Concepts writing reading habits Questions to Reflect On - What place helps you focus? - How do you stay motivated in adverse conditions? A Different Perspective Weather may disrupt comfort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dave Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dave-stump-3539122/) [Read And Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-and-write/) [Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stump/) [Stump Outside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stump-outside-3539121/) [Stump Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stump-years-3539120/) [Three years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-years/) [Tree Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree-stump-448742/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [Look for a tree stump in the woods. Compare it to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colette-inez/look-for-a-tree-stump-in-the-woods-compare-it-to-love/) [Colette Inez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colette-inez/) > [You are a goddamn tree stump, with leaves sprouting out. Reborn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ml/you-are-a-goddamn-tree-stump-with-leaves-sprouting-out-reborn/) [ML](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ml/) > [WE SMOKE A REE DOWN, TIL IT'S JUST A TREE STUMP.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/we-smoke-a-ree-down-til-it-s-just-a-tree-stump/) [LIL WAYNE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Teeth blunts with peanut, standin' on a tree stump. Rappers need to keep up, my bitches double D cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/teeth-blunts-with-peanut-standin-on-a-tree-stump-rappers-need-to-keep/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [“Every time I leave the apartment, I mistake the tree stump across the street for two people kissing/holding each other. I’ve forgotten every time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-pink/every-time-i-leave-the-apartment-i-mistake-the-tree-stump-across-the/) [Sam Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-pink/) > [“If you put your hand in my pocket, you’ll drag back six inches of bloody stump.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/if-you-put-your-hand-in-my-pocket-you-ll-drag-back-six-inches-of/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [In every stump speech I give, I speak about the fact that people who dream and achieve enormous success do not make us poorer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/in-every-stump-speech-i-give-i-speak-about-the-fact-that-people-who/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [You can cut the tension with a cricket stump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-walker/you-can-cut-the-tension-with-a-cricket-stump/) [Murray Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-walker/) > [ “\[Stump speeches\] are to oratory what a stump is to a tree.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/stump-speeches-are-to-oratory-what-a-stump-is-to-a-tree/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [I'm a native West Virginian and I've been called everything from a hillbilly to a stump jumper. I'm always proud of it; I'm very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-raese/i-m-a-native-west-virginian-and-i-ve-been-called-everything-from-a/) [John Raese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-raese/) > [I'd like to see him go out and bat one day with a stump. I tell you that's what he's been doing all this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-chappell/i-d-like-to-see-him-go-out-and-bat-one-day-with-a-stump-i-tell-you/) [Greg Chappell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-chappell/) > [Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-simpler-when-you-plow-around-the-stump/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I always thought 'Stump' was kind of like, you dropped something on your foot. It's not the most exotic rock-star name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/i-always-thought-stump-was-kind-of-like-you-dropped-something-on-your/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [“No use beating around the bush when the bush is just a bare stump at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naz-kutub/no-use-beating-around-the-bush-when-the-bush-is-just-a-bare-stump-at/) [Naz Kutub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naz-kutub/) > [The problem with modern politics is everybody is doing sound bite stuff. In my stump speech, I give 20 minutes on why I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brat/the-problem-with-modern-politics-is-everybody-is-doing-sound-bite/) [Dave Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brat/) ## More by Kazuo Ishiguro > [The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/the-evening-s-the-best-part-of-the-day-you-ve-done-your-day-s-work/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [As a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/as-a-writer-i-m-more-interested-in-what-people-tell-themselves/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“About him and his wife voting for different parties. A few years ago that would have been unthinkable.” “No doubt.” “Quite extraordinary the things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/about-him-and-his-wife-voting-for-different-parties-a-few-years-ago/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently? One could presumably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/but-what-is-the-sense-in-forever-speculating-what-might-have-happened/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“Silence is just as likely to indicate the most profound ideas forming, the deepest energies being summoned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/silence-is-just-as-likely-to-indicate-the-most-profound-ideas-forming/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“I don't know why, but it didn't seem an option for more than one of us to storm off, and I wanted to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-know-why-but-it-didn-t-seem-an-option-for-more-than-one-of-us/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [Our family arrived in England in 1960. At that time I thought the war was ancient history. But if I think of 15 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/our-family-arrived-in-england-in-1960-at-that-time-i-thought-the-war/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [He chose a certain path in life, it proved to be a misguided one, but there, he chose it, he can say that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/he-chose-a-certain-path-in-life-it-proved-to-be-a-misguided-one-but/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“For however one may come in later years to reassess one’s achievements, it is always a consolation to know that one’s life has contained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/for-however-one-may-come-in-later-years-to-reassess-one-s/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [You're always in a rush, or else you're too exhausted to have a proper conversation. Soon enough, the long hours, the traveling, the broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/you-re-always-in-a-rush-or-else-you-re-too-exhausted-to-have-a-proper/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I don't think it's any fun, even if you are one of the most respected authors in the world like Margaret Atwood, to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-don-t-think-it-s-any-fun-even-if-you-are-one-of-the-most-respected/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [I think it's quite difficult to understand what kind of life a writer leads. They might be millionaires, or they might be starving people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/i-think-it-s-quite-difficult-to-understand-what-kind-of-life-a-writer/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [“But this small episode is as good an illustration as any of the hazards of uttering witticisms. By the very nature of a witticism,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/but-this-small-episode-is-as-good-an-illustration-as-any-of-the/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [There comes a point when you can more or less count the number of books you're going to write before you die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/there-comes-a-point-when-you-can-more-or-less-count-the-number-of/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) > [My wife is the most savage critic. She doesn't feel intimidated by my reputation. As far as she's concerned, she's just criticising a boyfriend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/my-wife-is-the-most-savage-critic-she-doesn-t-feel-intimidated-by-my/) [Kazuo Ishiguro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) [Explore all 292 Kazuo Ishiguro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/) ## More Stump quotes > [Look for a tree stump in the woods. Compare it to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colette-inez/look-for-a-tree-stump-in-the-woods-compare-it-to-love/) [Colette Inez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colette-inez/) > [Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-simpler-when-you-plow-around-the-stump/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [I always thought 'Stump' was kind of like, you dropped something on your foot. It's not the most exotic rock-star name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/i-always-thought-stump-was-kind-of-like-you-dropped-something-on-your/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [You are a goddamn tree stump, with leaves sprouting out. Reborn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ml/you-are-a-goddamn-tree-stump-with-leaves-sprouting-out-reborn/) [ML](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ml/) > [“No use beating around the bush when the bush is just a bare stump at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naz-kutub/no-use-beating-around-the-bush-when-the-bush-is-just-a-bare-stump-at/) [Naz Kutub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naz-kutub/) > [“If you put your hand in my pocket, you’ll drag back six inches of bloody stump.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-ellison/if-you-put-your-hand-in-my-pocket-you-ll-drag-back-six-inches-of/) [Harlan Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harlan-ellison/) > [WE SMOKE A REE DOWN, TIL IT'S JUST A TREE STUMP.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/we-smoke-a-ree-down-til-it-s-just-a-tree-stump/) [LIL WAYNE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [The problem with modern politics is everybody is doing sound bite stuff. In my stump speech, I give 20 minutes on why I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brat/the-problem-with-modern-politics-is-everybody-is-doing-sound-bite/) [Dave Brat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brat/) > [I'd like to see him go out and bat one day with a stump. I tell you that's what he's been doing all this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-chappell/i-d-like-to-see-him-go-out-and-bat-one-day-with-a-stump-i-tell-you/) [Greg Chappell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-chappell/) > [I'm a native West Virginian and I've been called everything from a hillbilly to a stump jumper. I'm always proud of it; I'm very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-raese/i-m-a-native-west-virginian-and-i-ve-been-called-everything-from-a/) [John Raese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-raese/) > [ “\[Stump speeches\] are to oratory what a stump is to a tree.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/stump-speeches-are-to-oratory-what-a-stump-is-to-a-tree/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [You can cut the tension with a cricket stump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-walker/you-can-cut-the-tension-with-a-cricket-stump/) [Murray Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-walker/) > [In every stump speech I give, I speak about the fact that people who dream and achieve enormous success do not make us poorer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/in-every-stump-speech-i-give-i-speak-about-the-fact-that-people-who/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Boys please, cover your stump BEFORE you hump!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/boys-please-cover-your-stump-before-you-hump/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 15 Stump quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stump/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And there was a tree stump outside the Black Barn everyone called 'Dave's stump' because for over three years, until a few weeks before our arrival, he'd sat on it to read and write, sometimes even when it was raining or cold.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kazuo Ishiguro" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-black-barn-everyone-called/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Stump" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-black-barn-everyone-called/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/232/kazuo-ishiguro-1029_three-years_and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-b_2003681.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And there was a tree stump outside the Black Barn everyone called 'Dave's stump' because for over three…” — Kazuo Ishiguro", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kazuo Ishiguro", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kazuo-ishiguro/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“And there was a tree stump...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-black-barn-everyone-called/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kazuo-ishiguro/and-there-was-a-tree-stump-outside-the-black-barn-everyone-called/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```