Technically, it is on District property at the front of our front yard, so technically not really 'our' tree at all. But it's certainly in front of our house, contiguous with the property to which we have title in fee simple, thus having the objective appearance of being our tree.
But it has been rather a sad excuse for a tree for many years. It has produced very little fruit, all of which would fall to the ground, rotting but unripe. And it had leaves that would begin to curl and turn a mottled yellow in late spring. A sad, rather sick tree.
So last year, at the end of the season, we thought it was time to put the poor thing out of its (our?) misery. We'd spent much effort fixing up the front yard and there was no place for an old tree that was not meeting our expectations.
We had the District guy come by in the fall and I talked to him about replacing the tree. They've been planting new trees up and down our street, so we thought we could take advantage of that program. Turns out they'd "spent their budget" for the year, so couldn't replace the cherry with one of the spanking new District trees. But he was willing to give us a permit to cut it down, and let us replace it with another, at our cost.
I should add, this discussion took place UNDERNEATH SAID TREE.
Things being what they were, we did not get around to cutting it down. We were soooo done with our landscaping work for the season and just wanted to hunker down through fall and winter, then take up the task this spring. Then, things being what they were, we did not get around to cutting it down this spring either.
A good thing. Because this month, it produced a bountiful harvest of sweet red cherries. Not one of which fell to the ground due to rot or disease. We've had to climb the tree and take a ladder around its perimeter on more than one occasion, and have reaped buckets-full of rewards. As a bonus, its leaves are still green and firmly affixed to its boughs, even now in mid-July.
(Having just seen the movie Avatar, I am convinced that the tree overheard my conversation with the District guy and was more 'motivated' than it had been in the past.)
In short, our old tree went back to its old tricks, and produced something that it had produced regularly in the past. Something that fits its purpose and that it was meant to do. Something that is wonderful.
But I did take it all for granted. Until today.
Today I had to write an exam. An exam that I first wrote 20+ years ago. Yes, I studied. Hunkered down, in fact, ignoring the beautiful weather outside the windows for days on end. Producing masterful indices and copious notes.
And, although I was producing something I'd produced before, when it came to delivering the cherries and writing the actual exam, that part was hard.
It seems that even old tricks can be a challenge for old dogs!
But I am hopeful that, in getting back to my roots, I've found my purpose and something that I'm meant to do. And that I can create something wonderful with it.
Like our cherry tree did.
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PS: made a fabulous crumble with the cherries, plus some rhubarb.
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