Tuesday, November 23, 2010

I Planted a Tree



A few years ago, having such hubris in trying to conform the forest to my taste, I planted a sugar maple in the single open part of my yard by the turn-around in the driveway.  This autumn rewarded me with such autumn beauty that the planting of this tree seems like an extra layer of icing on an already sweet cake.  As you can see it must share the space with piles of top soil or mulch or whatever we dump in that open area in the fall.  I live in the woods and yet I still plant trees, what can I say?  The first two years the leaves on this youngster turned crackly brown and fell to the ground in the fall revealing its skinny arms and I was pretty disappointed.  Yet, each spring I could run my fingers along the smooth gray trunk of the weeping bark and bring my fingertips to my mouth and taste the sweetest nectar.




This fall my tree has found her brazen courage. She is no longer a wall flower and dances with the delicate red maples and 100-foot golden poplars as if she belongs here.  She is like that pretty three-year-old that dances on the floor in front of the band, but like everyone is watching as she flips her strawberry blonde locks!


The dance is far too short, but I am glad I did not miss it.

8 comments:

  1. Oh that is a lovely reward. You're still enjoying beautiful colour. Ours is long gone except for what's lived on in a few photos.

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  2. and she is beautiful...keep planting....

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  3. Oh she is fabulous! I can see her dancing there and showing off all her locks and tresses! What a precocious child!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  4. Beautiful, glad you're still planting. I really enjoy your observations of your surroundings, it sharpens up my own eye.

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  5. Just stunning. Lovely. Thanks.

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  6. Keep planting..it is such a pleasure to see them grow. She s beautiful and I love your way with words.

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  7. Lovely. Planting is good.

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  8. Anonymous11:33 PM

    This was a beautiful post. Glad to have stumbled across it.

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