For the past 10+ years, one of my favorite aspects to my apartment has been the old, large and lush tree that belonged to the house behind our building. It provided fantastic afternoon shade, was often the stage for various critter (squirrel/possum/raccoon/birds birds birds) comedies and dramas and I loved watching the different shades of green that would emerge as the changing daylight would dance with the leaves, causing me to aptly name it - The Hypnotree.
Two months ago, I awoke to the sounds of chainsaws and looked out the window to witness the house's new owners having the tree taken down. I actually felt my heart sink. And since it was such a large tree, it took the entire day to cut it down, an entire day of chainsaws, sawdust and sadness. I'm not the weepy kind of gal, but I cried that day.
Fortunately (I say that lightly) the tree-guys let a lot of stuff fall down on our side of the fence, so I took piece of a larger branch that I plan on carving into a tactile sculpture piece, a long skinny leafless branch that is looking great as it lays against the wall outside the front door and the end of a branch that was still green and viable. It was my hope to get it to root somehow, so I took it and placed it in a vase and kept it next to the bed, on top of two of my favorite Tom Robbins' books that I'm re-reading (pic above).
For two months the little branch (now named Penelope - gold stars to those who can guess why) seemed to thrive, and was even continuing to grow a leaf on the end... then last week she suddenly started turning black and was dead in two days.
Adieu my darling giving tree... never will you be forgotten.
Until next time... Miss Absinthe
