The Apple Tree of Life

When I was a little girl my mother bought and planted an apple tree for me. It was small, but big enough to sit under. My mother would sit with me and sing "Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me." I loved that apple tree.

But living in the suburbs in the early early '70's and coming from a family of 6 children has it's downfalls. My four older siblings are at least 5 years older than I am and the mass of children living in our neighborhood always seemed to congregate at our house, particularly on Summer evenings. It was a great time when kids left home after breakfast, reappearing occasionally to be fed, and didn't return until the lightening bugs and crickets took over the block.

Games like Kick the Can, Run Around the House, and Capture the Flag ruled their summer evenings. I was too little and invariably got in the way of the rambunctious youths. I was relegated to watching from the living room window.

Alas, it was during one of these Night Games (for that was the generic term for the summer evening's play) that my older sister, Guys (that's the name I called her!) ran into my beloved Apple Tree and leveled it to the ground.

I was very sad.

So, my mother in all her love and kindness replaced that apple tree. And on summer afternoons she would sit with me and sing our song. If there are memories that belong in a misty Hallmark Commercial, these are them. I even envision dandelion seeds blowing in the summer wind.

Sadly, the night games took their toll on my second apple tree. This one was not replaced.

So, for the past near 40 years I have been missing and wanting an apple tree.

AHA! Last summer we did a major landscaping project to remove all sorts of invasive trees and build the mighty retaining wall to hold up the hill. PERFECT! I get my apple tree! MY apple tree!

So, the lovely gardener man gets me the apple tree. Plants it about 10 feet from the street. I love my apple tree. Can't wait to see what it does this spring! Flowers! The imagined fruit! Ahhh, happiness!

Alas, the gods are not with me. There is a lot across the street from us that is filled with invasive trees and shrubs and generally looks scrubby. Or at least it did until the owner decided to clear it out. It's much more lovely now and it might even afford us a view of the nearby lake! But, in their efforts, one of the big big trucks backed up onto our land.... There is no curb so nothing to indicate he had overstepped his bounds,... the truck took out my beloved apple tree.

I will try again. However I will plant this tree. ME. Not some gardener dude. And it will not be near any street nor any running path nor anything that might hurt my last try.

I have yet to sing my song to either of my kids and perhaps it is too late. But, even if I have to hold their teenage bodies down (I still outweigh them!) I will sing to them. I will.