I looked out the kitchen windows to our woods below when we got home from a long weekend away. Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
The redbud tree is down. Instead of floating on the air like a lacy umbrella, the lavender-blossom laden branches spread across the grass like an antebellum skirt.
Like the rock in the middle of the road, it happened while I wasn’t looking. What forces of nature were working while I was gone?
Here is the picture I took on Thursday and posted on Friday before we left. Now that I look again, I can see that the tree is leaning. So maybe it was falling as I was looking, but I just didn’t notice. I didn’t see it.
I still have redbud trees in these woods behind our house.
They make their presence known in early spring.
But this little lady is down. She’s stood her last.
The roots just dissolved or decayed away, under this stone patio. Maybe it was starved for water and nutrients. Or maybe it was just old.
The stone patio was also built around this cottonwood tree that still stands strong.
This is a mirror shot of my usual one where I look out the kitchen windows on the right, or stand at the right-most corner of the deck and shoot down the hill to the woods. From this perspective, the St. Francis garden is at the top of the hill to the right, nestled between the steps to the deck and the woods. If you enlarge the photo by clicking on it, you can just barely make out one of the little birdhouses there. The little white speck at the top of the hill to the left of the first support post is Arthur. His electric fence keeps him close to the house.
While I was mourning the loss of this beautiful tree, the birds were singing,
and the running creek was playing its musical notes.
Nearby a limbless, dead tree still stands,
a banquet for the woodpeckers.
But the redbud tree is down.
It happened while I wasn’t looking.
Christine M. Grote 
Aw….that is too bad but at least you have a vase of pretty flowers from it to enjoy for a bit. Your yard and surroundings are simply beautiful—exactly the type of place that I long to live! In a warm climate, of course! 🙂
Well, warm climates have their advantages, but these woods are the absolute most stunning after a wet snowfall where it sticks to the limbs of the trees. Wouldn’t want to miss that.
Oh I bet it is beautiful most of the time!!! I miss our backyard from Freeport, IL. We had nice woods and cows in the pasture behind and lots of deer and wild turkeys. Oh and moles. Could have done without them!
I’m sorry you lost your beautiful tree. But what a lovely arrangement it makes.
Yes. A bit of a consolation.
RIP redbud. I’m sure it is honored that you borrowed its blossoms for your lovely home and wrote this beautiful eulogy.
I don’t know how successful I’ll be with keeping this bouquet very long. I’ve seen others cut boughs from blossoming trees to bring inside, but whenever I’ve tried it I’ve usually ended up with a short bloom followed by a big mess. . .
oh, that’s so hard — I hate it when I lose trees…. and as you say, especially when you don’t notice until it’s happened. Beautiful pics though!
Yes. It’s pretty much a pile of cut branches right now. Thanks for taking a break from your work to stop by. Hope all is going well.
Sorry about the snow.
Woods? Flowers? Land? In Aventura(Miami) only the next row of domino condos.
You need to pack yourself in a car and drive north.
Although a lot of people head in your direction for the warmth. Life has its compromises I suppose.
Your back yard is lovely. What an amazing setting! So sorry to hear about the redbud’s demise. The loss of a tree is a big deal in my mind. Trees have souls.
Hugs,
Kathy
Thanks, Kathy. The back yard is nice to look at, but difficult to use with the rather steep hill. In fact, I can’t walk down the hill, I walk all the way around the house and down the other side where the grade is not as steep.
The loss of a tree is a big deal in my mind, too. But with all these trees around us, we’ve lost others before and will again.
It’s just the way it goes.
I am captivated by photos of woodlands. I think I’d stare out the window all day long if I had that beautiful view. I am blessed to have a closeup view of the treetops in the courtyard from our second story apartment. The redbud tree went the way of the cycle of life, and you still have the more distant lavender show going on. Lovely. Blessings to you…
My daughter had a second-story apartment with trees around. It was a beautiful view. I suspect yours is too.
Aw, 😦
I know!
Sorry about your beautiful tree. I hope you decide to plant another one in it’s place, but not in the same location of the other red-bud tree that died or just blown down. More to a different place where it might fine a better root system and food… and sunlight.
Ed
I’m not sure what we’re going to do. We like to plant trees, but probably won’t plant one down there. Maybe.
What a bummer! At least she went down beautiful and fully dressed in blossoms.
Nice response, Susan.
I love that you brought some of her branches inside as one last celebration of her beauty and glory.
They’re still blooming in here. They’re lasting better than I anticipated.
It’s always sad to see the demise of a tree. I like that stone patio.
I’m very sad to lose this tree because it added beauty to my view in the spring. But the stone patio will be better without it, if truth be known.
Awww. Poor redbud. My husband (my tree expert) was just telling me yesterday that redbuds are short-lived trees.
Thanks for saying that, Robin. Now I feel a little better that perhaps the patio wasn’t at fault. (We didn’t put the patio in, but we do enjoy it.)
Sorry for the loss of the tree; it looked beautiful. Lovely other shots among the bunch!
Thanks, William.