Measuring Life by the Trees in our Lives

My best friend in town years ago was Michelle. She lived one street down and we met when I took my girls over and we helped her unpack her home after moving in. Most people you don't know wouldn't accept help from a stranger, however, she was a military wife and due to that, she was used to having that military "unit" to rely on, so she was more open to help. 

Many years ago when they lived here, they planted two trees in the front strip of their yard. The trees grew and they moved. Another adorable family moved in and the trees got bigger. I sent Michelle a picture a few years back showing her how big they had gotten. 

I visited that family just yesterday while distributing the apples and carrots from the food bank. Today, I was passing and noticed a tree service truck in front of their home. I saw that one tree was down and the other was on its way down. 

I stopped and visited with the family while I took some pictures of the tree coming down to send to my friend Michelle. 

I came home and was picking plums off my tree and could hear them making the last cuts on the tree to take them down. I took a short video to send my friend. The inside of the trees had started to rot and they were way too tall for the area they were planted causing the sidewalk to uproot and were a hazard to the home. 

It made me ponder while I was picking plums how the trees in our yard can tell stories as well. Many were here when we moved in, many I have planted. I am planning on taking out the back apple that is the only fruit tree left in the yard that I didn't plant. Things like that, make the house mine and not those that owned it before me. 

It is interesting that new owners have to live in a house a long time before it comes "their home" as when we first moved here, for probably 15 years, our home was the "Smith Family" home before it came our family home. 

I do feel like we can measure our life here by the trees in our yard! Have a blessed day!