it's just a tree

 

It's "just a tree". But it is a tree with a history.

I have always wanted to live "out". When I was younger and had a house full of children I thought a large cabin with a huge porch all the way around it, in the middle of about 50 wooded acres sounded perfect. The kids could roam and explore and learn and do all kinds of things they couldn't learn and do in the city. I never got that.Thankfully I had friends with farms or property who freely shared their acres of woods and encouraged me to bring the kids out to roam and play. 

At that time my backyard had a shed and grass. I wanted, no I needed a tree or two. One of the friends who lived on about 35 acres made it a practice to get saplings from the extension office every Arbor Day when they were offered. She let the kids help her plant them at her place. One year she either picked up extra or shared from her stash 6 white pine saplings, each between 12 and 18 inches tall. My kids (and I) were ecstatic! We brought them home and as a family we planted them.

One in the center of the yard. One in in front of the shed, but not too close so it would have room to grow. The others lined the fence to the left of the yard. Again, not too close so they would have room to grow.

The first wiffle ball game after the planting showed the placement was perfect-there was now a pitcher's mound, as well as a second and third base in place anytime they got a game going. Needless to say, those three trees didn't make it through the summer. Two of the others didn't last through the winter. But one did.

Naturally it was the one closest to the house, the furthest away from where most of the backyard action took place. About ten years ago Jonathan built a clubhouse for the grandkids to the side of the trunk, close enough that it feels like a treehouse.

The ice storm we got early last week took out two branches-I know because I saw them when I checked first thing in the morning. One is laying on the ground, the other is hung up in the branches. Since there is so much ice I decided the best thing to do was leave the one in the tree until things thaw to prevent more damage. 

We are supposed to get more ice and 4-6 inches of snow overnight into Tuesday. I am concerned. The ice from the last storm still coats most of the needles on my tree. The branches are hanging forlornly now. I am afraid more ice will, at best, cause more damage. At worst, it will take down the tree. 

So I began praying last night as I lay trying to go to sleep, that if the tree does come down it falls to the right, across my yard, not to the left toward the Exterminator's business and the corner neighbor's fence. The neighbor two doors down to the right has a fence as well, but the top of the tree will not cause near as much damage as the middle of the trunk will if it falls left. 

I saw my business neighbors were in their building early this afternoon so I went over for a quick chat. As I was walking to their back door I glanced up at the pine. There are branches missing from the very top of it. And several others further down that I hadn't noticed because I hadn't surveyed it from the angle I was now in. 

I don't want anyone to get hurt or anything to get damaged by the pine so when the storms settle, if it is still standing, I will have someone qualified come look at it and let me know if it will make it or if it needs to be taken down. That makes me sad.

I know it's just a tree. 

But it's a tree with history. 

My family's history. 

And that makes it more than just a tree. 

It's a literal family tree.