Saturday, May 1, 2010

(One of) My Favorite Places on the Property




When I was a kid we had a weeping willow tree in the backyard, as did my Uncle Tom, who lived across the street.  The tree in our yard was always big, they grow like weeds and are not the cleanest of trees.  I didn't care though, I loved it.  It was an umbrella of sorts over the yard, great to climb, it ate many a ball and when you stood under it the light danced through the mane of branches; it seemed to go on and up forever.  A few years ago I was very surprised to see a photo of myself, as a young child, next to the tree and it was really small at that point.  By the time I was 12 it was huge.  It obviously grew with me.  One time when I was in grade school I carved a beautiful letter opener from the very soft wood of the willow.  How I wish I knew where that was.  Haven't seen it in years!

When we first saw this property that came to be Czar of the Woods Farm I was very excited to see the willow tree on the property.  Not only that but a large limb had broken off of it and fallen to the wetland ground below.  Several baby willows, ~ 15-20 ft high now are growing from that limb; it's pretty great.  So yes this, amongst many, is one of my favorite places on our property.  It's very cozy.  The birds love it and someday our kids will make forts under it too.

2 comments:

Carole Kancar said...

That weeping willow tree that you so lovingly describe from when you were a child, was always a source of contention between Dad & myself...I was for it...Dad against. I loved the beauty of it....he was practical and hated the mess it made. If it had been done away with, our yard would have been an array of wirers showing....the weeping willow hid that ugliness, and our yard was green. I'm so glad that you have those great memories from your childhood......love, mom

Anonymous said...

Eric.. The memories of THE WEEPING WILLOW TREE???? LOVE Dad