We made it home in the evening on Wednesday. The travel was amazingly smooth from Sandbridge with only pockets of slow travel, but nothing horrible–which would be more typical. When we first pulled into the driveway, I felt relief to be home before the next snow storm arrived and then I glanced toward the front door and saw that my beloved cherry tree had broken with much of it leaning over the sidewalk and front door.
Perhaps I’ve become too focused on fate and karma after the past couple of years: something good happens and to balance it out, something bad happens. Good planning and paying attention meant that we were not stuck in the I-95 fiasco, but in turn I lost half of my cherry tree (perhaps all of it; it is too soon to tell), a couple evergreens, and half of my redbud. What on earth? We have had worse storms, although I wasn’t here to witness this storm. Maybe it was a rogue wind that toppled the trees in tandem with the especially heavy snow?
These trees have given me such pleasure over the years, especially the cherry tree that has been in place for 28 years. We think we have control over nature, but that simply shows how completely silly we are.
A lament.
Sorry about your trees. We still miss our apple tree from the cottage we sold in 2014. Hopefully the new owners who bought from us and those who bought from them haven’t cut it down.
Thanks, Di. I am hoping both trees survive. I am always amazed that one of the first things new neighbors do is cut down the trees. There aren’t many here to begin with (certainly not like the neighborhood I grew up in with towering oaks, tulips, etc called aptly enough Woodside) so I hope your apple survived.
Sadly we’re unlikely to know as we are miles from there now.
When we move from this house, I don’t think I ever want to revisit. I’d hate to see all the trees and bushes and perennials I’ve planted removed. You do put a lot of yourself into keeping them alive. (I must need another cup of tea! Lol)
I’m sorry for your loss. But sometimes a fallen tree is just a fallen tree. And this didn’t really happen to YOU, it happened to the tree, so I don’t think Karma plays into it. Perhaps, if the tree doesn’t survive, it was simply its time to move onto something else. A rosebush, perhaps. Keep an eye out; you may be drawn to whatever it becomes in its next life. 🙂
I don’t know, Maggie. That tree seemed to be living a virtuous life: gave great beautiful and just asked for the bits to keep it alive so I don’t think it was the tree’s karma. (I’m kidding.) I probably really don’t believe the karma thing tie in anyway. But I am hoping the trees recover. My evergreens won’t be so lucky. 🙁
You’re right, we don’t have control, certainly not more so than nature. But for good or ill (karma talking, maybe), we do take part. And I’m sorry for your loss of trees and flora overall.
Thank you. I suspect it might be hard for people to relate if they don’t garden or plant a tree and stay in a place long enough to watch it flourish and look forward to it flowering in spring.