Grandma’s Tree….

I know, everyone has seen various photos of the damage the windstorm caused last Friday and it was mostly downed trees, which is also sad news.

I just learned today that the tree our family dubbed “Grandma’s Tree” was blown down. It went right across the road and definitely was uprooted in the process. Various pieces of heavy equipment were needed to move it off the road. My nephew and his wife will chop it up and use it for firewood this winter.

Excuse me if this sounds a tad morbid but we all have such fond memories of that tree and it being uprooted and gone is just well, truly sad. As kid I sat under that tree stalling before called back to the hayfield. As a young adult I watched my children play under this tree and ask the same questions I had asked; “what was it like when you were a kid Mom?” I remember many a sitting under that tree, shucking peas, snapping beans, telling jokes, sharing stories, enjoying a cool drink,but mostly thankful for the shade it provided and the good company it attracted. It wasn't just family who sat under that tree, many a neighbor stopped by, grabbed a chair and spun a yarn or two as well. And relatives also found the tree and pleasant spot to gossip and update everyone on family happenings. Thank goodness a breeze usually blew so having to look at tons of photos was not possible -- I mean, how many vacation photos of a damn river did we need to see and awww over? And that tree heard some whoppers over the years, including our try at a cuss word or two. However, it never failed to keep our secrets -- never uttered a word or rebuked us for saying anything!

Here are some photos – more to follow soon…good-bye ole friend, we’ll miss you!