Sad to see it cut down..

“The tree is more than first a seed, then a stem, then a living trunk, and then dead timber. The tree is a slow, enduring force straining to win the sky.” 
— Antoine de Saint-Exupéry


Two large trees that I've known my whole life had to come down today. Both had seriously rotted upper sections and had lost branches in our last windstorm. They were growing along the street in front of our next door neighbor's house. It was a full day process, lots of noise and traffic disruption. The sliced end pictured looks a bit like a heart with the hint of a face. I hate seeing old trees coming down, but after I looked at the rot on the other side of this tree section, I knew it was necessary. 

I thanked both for the shade they provided when I used to wait for the school bus as a child, for their color in the fall, for the branches providing spots for nesting birds.  One was in a tricky place when we leave our driveway, obscuring speeding cars. It will be safer now, but I will miss it.

For the record,
This day came in sunny and warmer.

All hands cozy.