It has been a bit of a sad week here this week. We have said goodbye to a longtime friend of the family. Years ago when we bought our house this little tree was planted out front. It was a funny looking tree......it was growing crooked and it's limbs were all in disarray. We didn't know anything about caring for trees and Richard thought we should take it out and plant another one, but I resisted, saying it would be a good tree climbing tree for the kids. I have pictures of the little tree, but don't know how to get them here, so just imagine a little tree.
It was true....it was a good friend to the boys. Jon and his friend Jared spent many hours climbing it and as the tree grew bigger, so did Josh. He loved the tree and he and his friends would dream of building rooms in the tree for a fort. One summer a few years ago, I consented, and build they did!!
Hours upon hours were spent, dragging wood from the neighbors houses. Hammering would begin early in the morning and go into the night. The front of our house looked like a wreck from all the hammers and nails and wood pieces strewn about our front yard out, but the kids loved the tree. (Forgive me if I might sound a little like Shel Silverstein)
As the boys grew older, they forgot about the tree and moved on to more exciting things.....but the tree stood giving shade to our home and as it got older it continued to bend. The tree was decorated on numerous occasions by neighborhood rascals, each time it got harder and harder to get the decorations out. It covered the house and one had to look very closely to see a house was even there.
Then one day, while the mother was gone, the tree came down. The mother had thought of the idea, but was unprepared for the sight as she drove in. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered all the memories the tree provided, but thankful that the tree had a good life....grateful that the tree was loved.
Goodbye tree. Thank you for all the love you showed my family....thank you for the beauty that you provided for our home.....thank you for the warmth that you will bring to another family on a cold winter morning in the not too distant future.
It was true....it was a good friend to the boys. Jon and his friend Jared spent many hours climbing it and as the tree grew bigger, so did Josh. He loved the tree and he and his friends would dream of building rooms in the tree for a fort. One summer a few years ago, I consented, and build they did!!
Hours upon hours were spent, dragging wood from the neighbors houses. Hammering would begin early in the morning and go into the night. The front of our house looked like a wreck from all the hammers and nails and wood pieces strewn about our front yard out, but the kids loved the tree. (Forgive me if I might sound a little like Shel Silverstein)
As the boys grew older, they forgot about the tree and moved on to more exciting things.....but the tree stood giving shade to our home and as it got older it continued to bend. The tree was decorated on numerous occasions by neighborhood rascals, each time it got harder and harder to get the decorations out. It covered the house and one had to look very closely to see a house was even there.
Then one day, while the mother was gone, the tree came down. The mother had thought of the idea, but was unprepared for the sight as she drove in. Tears welled up in her eyes as she remembered all the memories the tree provided, but thankful that the tree had a good life....grateful that the tree was loved.
Goodbye tree. Thank you for all the love you showed my family....thank you for the beauty that you provided for our home.....thank you for the warmth that you will bring to another family on a cold winter morning in the not too distant future.
6 comments:
WHY DID YOU DO THAT?? THAT IS NOT COOL AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are making me cry! No WAY anyone would have cut a nice SHADE tree down around here (heat relief you know). I can't believe how much it grew in the past few years. It HAD really gotten big. Are you going to plant another tree?
I'm very sad. :(
I'm sorry honey. We have been talking about this for several years. The next big windstorm would have brought it down onto our house....the trunk was SO crooked. It never grew right... AND....it was becoming a safety issue as well....easier for someone to break into the house un-noticed. Now my rosebushes will grow because they will get more sun.
I am sad too:(
We are going to level it out and put barkdust down....we are deciding if we want a tree hiding our house again. Josh wants to plant silver birch there.....maybe something small (minature tree)
I understand...I would be sad too though.....it is hard to say goodbye to a tree....I love trees and become very attatched:( I bet a small tree would be very nice:) then you can watch it grow over the years! I am so excited about watching the 3 trees we picked and planted grow:) And your post also made me glad I am having 2 boys....they can be big and strong and help their Daddy with all those man chores (like having to cut down a tree:)
Now, you have to blog something else because everytime I pull up your blog I feel sad about your tree. :(
Post a Comment