My Old Friend the Juniper Tree

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The tree, being evergreen, kept much of the sunlight out of the kitchen, which I had constructed with lots of windows for growing plants. I trimmed back the tree’s lower limbs to let more light into the house. I put up gutter shields to little avail.

For several spring seasons, I considered cutting the tree down, but could never bring myself to do it. One day, I had a tree service in the yard, trimming some trees that had been damaged by windstorms. They then removed an oak that had grown too close to the well. I asked them to go ahead and take down that old juniper.

As the tree trimmers brought their equipment around, I wrapped my arms around the tree and said, “Goodbye, old friend.” Then I went off to let the trimmers do their work.

Now, nearly two years later, I still feel a tinge of sadness every time I pass the stump. The porch is clean, the gutters are empty, but I continue to feel like I have betrayed a good friend. The stump I had the trimmers leave is now an oversized post for a bird feeder, a rather sad tribute to the tree it once was. I no longer pause and nibble on the frosty blue berries as I always did in winter. I don’t have to sweep the porch as often, and there definitely is more sunlight in the kitchen in winter, but I no longer hear the creaking lullaby of the tree at night.

It was a good tree, an elegant tree, and it had lived on this spot much longer than I. Next time, before making such a decision, I will remember to listen to the song a tree sings first. I will taste the berries, make some tea, and think long and hard about removing such a venerable plant from my garden.

Jim Long writes and gardens from beside Table Rock Lake, in the Ozarks. Comments and questions welcome at Lcherbs@interlinc.net.

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