More than a tree

The tree saw today cut thru the dead wood with ease.


The tree had been dead for a year and had been left to stand guard over the west half of the yard.  The red wing blackbirds had used the tree as a lookout over the ever expanding marsh outside the fence line.  The goldfinches hadn't mind that this resting place was bare of leaves last season either.


My wife saw that the bark was peeling away on the tree today and mentioned maybe it was time to get someone to take it down.  That was my cue to handle the situation.  So, while she was taking a shower, I grabbed my saw and headed out to take care of business.


It really wasn't that old a tree.  We picked out this aspen and had it delivered 7 years ago this June.  My wife's mom was visiting at the time and she helped me place the tree in its new home in our backyard.


The ensuing seasons of drought and wind must have been too much for this tree.  Aspens prefer to live at much higher altitudes and this particular tree apparently could not cope with the conditions down below here in Windsor, Colorado.


So, with a kind of sad finality, I took down the aspen today.  There is a strange hole in the sky where it used to stand.  It looks empty, but it will be replaced with something.


As with all things in life, change is inevitable.  We will give the aspen a Viking funeral and burn it in the fire pit someday soon, because it was more than a tree.