Little Tree

17 years ago, shortly after we purchased this house, we bought some bushes and 2 evergreen trees for the yard. One evergreen was planted in the front corner of the house; the second evergreen was planted by the back door. The front yard evergreen grew in a nice cone shape and is now taller than our roof line. The base of the backyard evergreen was the favorite place for our black lab to sleep. The tree lived, but did not grow much and developed into a strange shape.

When we added the family room on to the back of the house, the "little tree" by the backdoor needed to be moved. Joe helped replant the tree on the back corner of our garage. Joe tended this tree carefully. He watered it frequently, pruned larger trees to provide light, and marveled at how the tree began to grow and fill out.

Joe asked if we could move "little tree" to our new house. In September, I told him that the tree needed to be dug up and moved so the roots would have time to get settled before the hard freeze came. One morning, Joe and the other kids tried to dig up the roots. It was tough work and they never finished.

We now have several inches of snow on the ground. Little tree will not be making the move with us. Joe is disappointed, but came up with a solution. He wants to chop it down and decorate it in the house this year for Christmas. I simply don't have the heart to refuse his request. We have set up one tree in the living room already. Monday, we are setting up the large tree in the family room. Tuesday, we will be chopping down "little tree" to decorate in the dining room. We will certainly have enough decorations up this year!