The tale of two trees...a love story
Over twenty years ago, my neighbour, Betty and her good friend, Tilly, who lived in the cottage that I'm in now, went off to the nursery to get some plants for their gardens. They each bought a small laurel tree...only two feet tall. They came home, planted them and watched them grow. Tilly moved away, Betty missed her like crazy and still the trees continued to grow. Several owners later, I bought this little cottage, became good friends with Betty and still the trees continued to grow. This past summer, branches from her tree touched branches on mine, as though the trees had finally grown arms long enough to reach each other. Two weeks ago we had a snowfall that lasted three days and it was too much for them to bear. First, my tree collapsed from under the weight and a few hours later, Betty's tree came down. Twenty years of growing side by side, twenty years of keeping each other company during hot summer days and rainy winter nights, harbouring jays, providing nesting spots for robins and offering shade from the sun, but they couldn't weather the storm. At least they went down with the ship together...true friends to the bitter cold end. R.I.P.
that is one of the best stories that i have ever heard...i love it.
Posted by: emily | December 08, 2006 at 09:40 PM
Call me soppy if you like but that brought a tear to my eye.
Posted by: carolyn | December 09, 2006 at 07:25 AM
a tragic and romantic tale...
oh, and great banner mom!
Posted by: gwendolen | December 09, 2006 at 12:28 PM
how sad and lovely.
now, do you have a wood stove to put that wood in?
Posted by: cara | December 09, 2006 at 12:40 PM
Great story. We had a bunch of laurel trees come down in an ice storm a few years back.
Posted by: Alexis | December 09, 2006 at 03:12 PM
Oh! So sad - reading this bought a lump to my throat!
Posted by: F | December 09, 2006 at 07:50 PM
Oh Barb, wiping a tear here...what a beautifully written and poignant story...Your posts just reach in and tug the ole heart strings...do something with the trees! Perhaps use the wood in your home....a little table? a footstool? A birdhouse? Maybe the trees will come back from the roots...In the spring look for new growth. Sometimes these trees don't die but will come back stronger than ever.
Posted by: Jenny | December 10, 2006 at 06:56 AM
True friendship! A lovely story. I'm thinking a couple hearts whittled from the wood of both trees? Love the idea of a birdhouse as well.
Posted by: Sarah Jane | December 11, 2006 at 09:57 AM