That Tree Outside My Window

That Tree Outside My Window

by Marilyn Mackenzie

I've written about my favorite tree before.  My computer sits in the corner of our kitchen and to my left is a big bay window (where the cats food sits to keep it away from the doggies).  Outside my window is a tree that hubby planted probably fifteen years ago.  Before there was an "us."

We've been married over three years now.  Four in February.  And every year I watch that tree change with the seasons.  What's amazing to me is that each year, after the leaves have all turned yellow, then brown, then fallen from the tree, there is usually one leaf left.

Each year, I watch as that one leaf holds on through winter winds and snow storms.  And it reminds me how each one of us must hold on through our own life's storms.

The weather has been strange everywhere lately.  Last week, we had a few days of over 70 degrees.  Now, the weather is more "normal."  Or perhaps a bit colder than normal.  And the leaves are finally falling.

I'm watching that tree to see if the same thing happens this year.  I hope it does.  I hope that one tiny leaf will hang on so that I can watch as it clings to the tree branch, in spite of the storms.

Here's what our back yard looks like now.  I wonder how many bags we'll fill up with these leaves?!?!?

Usually the leaves fall gradually and we can keep up with raking them.  But not this year.  This year, because of the warm weather in September and October, they didn't fall gradually.  One day, most of them were on the ground.  Poof!