My grandmother had a magnificent one that dominated her
front yard. It was an alpine wonder: a mountainous blue evergreen straight out
of a fairy tale forest with ancient, droopy boughs and an air of wisdom and
permanence. I once hazarded a hero’s quest through its prickly bowers with some
of the kids from her block, and inside we found a hidden fort
carpeted in old needles. That was the first time I realized magic sometimes
hides right out in the open. All we have to do is know where to look.
There’s a tree near here—a rare old mimosa that changes
drastically in every season and takes up most of a corner lot, but it’s so
enormous and exotically shaped that it might as well be a lone tree on an
African savanna. I don’t drive by it often, but when I do I always check to
make sure it’s still there. Because life just wouldn’t be right without touches
of the unexpected like that.
But the one I always think of this time of year was
outstanding in more ways than one. It was a towering old sassafras that
appeared suddenly after a curve. In fall it would go from being merely majestic
to being majestic and red. When I rounded the corner, it would suddenly pop in all
its startling cranberry-colored glory. When I slowed my car—as this tree
invariably made me do—I could see those vibrant little mitten-leaves waving in
the chilly air.
When they tore it down for the new highway, I mourned. That
was several years ago, and I still mourn whenever I make that turn.
Do you have a tree you worship?
Mr. Darcy: There was one very
fine tree [in Lambton] that I remember.
Mrs. Gardner: On the green! By the
smithy!
Mr. Darcy: The very one.
~Pride and Prejudice, 1995 BBC version, adapted
by Andrew Davies from the Jane Austen novel of the same name
There was a row of ancient sycamores at my grandparents' house. In one of them, my grandpa fit a huge pipe in the crook of the tree and anchored it into their barn. From the pole hung two chains that held the swing I loved: a thick slab of wood, sturdy and comforting.
ReplyDeleteYes, some trees are magical.
What a nice memory!
DeleteMy grandma and grandpa had several mimosa trees in their country yard. My cousins and I loved those pink-and-white feathery flowers. We also loved the persimmons that fell over the fence into the yard from the tree in the hog lot. They were good to eat when ripe, and good to throw when not.
ReplyDeleteYou made me laugh about the way a kid on the next block once described his neighbor's crab tree that overhung his back yard. I couldn't understand why he was so excited about this tree when he said the apples were sour. Turned out they the perfect size for throwing.
DeleteOh, how I love trees! We planted a lovely sugar maple (one of my favorites) in the front yard not long after we moved in. For more than 20 years I watched it grow and change with the seasons from the buds of spring to the green of summer to the brilliant color that only a sugar maple can produce in the fall. Even in winter its bare branches looked strong and capable.
ReplyDeleteFive years ago it developed a crevice in the trunk that we were told could cause it to split in half. To be safe, it had to come down. Let me tell you, I cried like a baby when the chain saws started buzzing and my tall beautiful tree came crashing to the ground.
We still haven't planted another. I really miss that beautiful old tree.
Pat
Critter Alley
I almost included a sugar maple in this. There's a gorgeous one up the street. Pat, I am so sorry for your loss!
DeleteThose soft-bough fluffy pines thrill me. Where is this tree you are standing under? It is gorgeous. Trees hold our stories. Imagine if they could talk and tell us what they've seen.
ReplyDeleteWhite pines? Those are pretty but so tragic in my 'hood because they're susceptible to salt damage. The tree in the pic was at a Napa valley winery. I was going to show probably the all-time coolest tree ever - a spanish moss-covered live oak from Saint Simons Island, Georgia, but there was a girl scout troop in it (in both the tree and the picture), and I hate to put people on the NET without their permission, you know?
DeleteWhat a loss! I am glad that your Grandmother's tree is still there. Yes, I do have favorite trees, the one behind the fairgrounds in Eugene and the one at the house that I grew up in. I know what you mean. Oh, in Ashland, OR there is Lithia Park, and there are many beautiful old trees there.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Kathy M.
I bet there are lots of gorgeous trees in your area, Kathy! What's sad is that I looked up my grandmother's old house on Google Earth to see if the tree was still there. It was, but it was nothing like I remember! Well, it was big, but it's looking pretty scruffy these days.
DeleteYes, I love trees! When we moved into our home there were two river birches that had been planted by the previous owner, one on either side of the house. Wrong tree to plant so close to a house, because the roots after 30 years interfered with our foundation. We had to bring both of them down. I cried, and that's no exaggeration.
ReplyDeleteOur home is on a slope, and when we had retaining walls put up in the back we had the landscapers build around a sweet gum tree. Double walls, stone, and right in the center of one is this huge tree. It's still thriving, so I'm glad we didn't bring it down.
Awww...what nice stories!
DeleteOh, yes, forgot to say that I LOVED this post. Beautifully worded.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
DeleteI love trees too. There was one that I'd see when I took the kids to school. I wanted my son to draw it. He felt weird asking the owner if he could do it. Then one day he was brave enough, and the tree was cut down. So sad. All trees are beautiful and that one that you are standing by is gorgeous! And your previous posts of your meme's are good, as always.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lynn! I'm so sorry your son missed his chance to draw the tree, though! Hope he found another good one to draw.
DeleteI'm sorry I'm so late in commenting on this lovely post, Tammy. I love the pic, love the beautiful fluidity of your writing, the poetic descriptions. Love the lines, "That was the first time I realized magic sometimes hides right out in the open. All we have to do is know where to look." Absolutely gorgeous! As far as trees go, I love the sugar maples, as Pat said above, especially in autumn. They are simply magnificent this time of year. I also love silver maples. I have two of them in my back yard, and though they're not as vibrant when they change color, I love to watch them from my rocking chair when I awake. When the first light of morning touches their silvery backs and I see them wink and sparkle like a smile, I know I can begin my day. Thanks, too, for helping me begin my day today with your wonderful words!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Theresa! I love maples, too. Have acer ginnala in my front yard - fragrant flowers in spring AND red-orange foliage in fall. Love it!
ReplyDelete