Guardian Trees

We've lived on our Kentucky acre for more than 30 years. 

When we bought this home, it was guarded on three sides by 

huge grandfather trees. Their branches sheltered and shaded, 

creating what felt like cottage life in a wooded glen. 

We loved it. 

Some time ago, we lost one of the maples, but still had 

two huge trees hugging both sides of the house. 

Four years ago, another maple started losing its limbs, 

slowly, carefully. I came home once to a tree-sized branch

leaning against the house, but not crushing it. 

So kindly done. 

After that second maple was taken down, 

we still had one massive tree left, a sweetgum sentinel. 

Every fall, we enjoyed this--

My clever husband built a play platform around its trunk 

and it became the hub of our gatherings. 

But this August, the last of our guardian trees was destroyed 

in what must have been a small tornado. 

And now it's gone. 

It's as simple, and as difficult, as that.  

I'm so glad we have photos of the sweet gum giant 

with our children and grandchildren playing under it; 

thankful that our home was spared the same devastation. 

As one of our littles said, 

"The trees in heaven will be way better than the 

ones we had here." 

So true.