Connection to Place

The Old Apple Tree

My mother's family bought and has taken care of the two acres of land I currently live on since my grandparents purchased it in the early 1960s. When my mother was pregnant with me there were five generations of my family living on this land. My great-grandparents remodeled and for many years lived in the cottage I now call home. My parents living on another part of the property in the old farm house. When my great-grandparents called this cottage home they built a large patio in the front of the cottage for sitting and visiting. In the center of that patio they planted a nice apple tree that over the last 50 years had grown to give the large patio and front of the cottage a lovely span of shade from it's branches. 

This winter we had a snow storm that dumped half a foot of heavy, wet snow in a short amount of time and the old apple tree gave way that morning. As I sat reading I heard a loud crack and scraping on my roof. I knew immediately it was a tree and was worried about the many large fir trees that surround my house. I soon discovered it was the old apple tree that had slip right down the middle in three separate pieces. The cracking went down deep into it's root system. I had never seen anything like it. 

I had several little things like pottery and a few statues around the base of the tree. Only a few pieces of pottery were damaged. The tree missed falling on my cottage, my car, my lawn furniture, and my dad's trailer. It makes me so sad to see this great tree that holds so many memories, fall down. I went outside soon after it fell and took photos. 

Woodpecker enjoying the apple tree a few months before it fell over. 

 I was shocked to find that attached to the roots of the tree was a new tree growing! 

My Kuan Yin statue and the doll horse from my childhood. I really love this horse and spent many hours planning with it. My cousin Jake broke it's tail off when we were little and ever since rediscovering it in my parent's toy box I had to have it. 

A shot of Kuan Yin and the trunk pieces in the background. We will be using the wood for making things and the large truck piece will be moved to the side of the patio to be utilized as a sitting area. The tree will live on in other forms.