A Tree Grows In Fair Play

(Apologies to "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn," 1945 movie with Peggy Ann Garner, Dorothy Malone, James Dunn.)

This tree in the front pasture has fascinated me from the time we moved in.  How, given the fact that others have fallen, does this tree remain standing and still lives?  The entire heart, the inner core, has come out, leaving nothing but the shell and yet, every spring those bare branches leaf out as if the tree were whole.  After every wind storm I expect to see it lying on the ground, and still it stands.  It is an example of resilience, failure to give up, and determination.  If anything, this tree is an inspiration.

The day had been sunny and warm.  Bessie Anne and I spent a good hour out on the deck in the afternoon, just enjoying the view.  There was something strange though.  There was not one bird in the sky and no bird sounds were heard.  No vultures, no crows, no dinky birds, no turkeys.  Weird.

After dark, the temperature plummeted.  I didn't light a fire, but did cover Bess with Deb's beautiful afghan as she napped.  It was a selfless act.  I put on a heavier jacket.

It was a good day.