Lonesome Pine

I am sorry to inform that my self righteous and rather smug blog of 28.11.11 has returned to bite me. I was, at that time self congratulatory on my single handed salvation of a Christmas Tree which had served the family very well for the last two festive periods. I was getting ready to go down the garden to dig it up to take its place on the front balcony of our house. I initially found it to be not at its best. It's most recent position had been intended to shelter it from the summer sun. In my wisdom this was in the shadow of a stubborn buddleia tree which has show great resilience after its annual and rather harsh pruning back to an ugly stump. Each growing season and the butterfly magnet gets larger and more lush. However, it's rapid and dense growth totally overwhelmed the small pine tree.I can assure you that it is not deceased but just a bit poorly. I have tried to envisage the equivalent human stage and age in order to understand the physical processes at play. The helpful lady at the garden centre from where the tree came from in 2009 had expressed surprise at its survival even with a healthy root-ball. Therefore, I contend that a tree of 3 years old is equivalent to the old biblical life expectancy of three score years and ten. The current appearance and symptons of the pine tree are consistent with just old age. The brownish stem ends and foliage are as grey hair. Fresh growths, tufty and uncontrollable are the flyaway wispy nostril hairs of a loved older relative. The dry boughs are like the wrinkles of experience. The tendency to move in a strong wind on a weakened root structure equates to being a bit wobbly on arthritic limbs. The bare upper branches akin to premature baldness.The slight warping of the trunk is the curvature of a tired and burdened soul. I found myself talking in a loud and pronounced voice to inform the tree of what was going to happen over Christmas. I proposed to leave the tree amongst it's current familiar surroundings although in a better position away from the light and rain grasping buddleia. I would make the occasional visit to ensure that the food and moisture from re-planting was getting through. I could provide a few baubles and a bit of tinsel to give some cheer over the season. Above all, it was a Christmas off duty and a time to recuperate for the next year. I can see the tree from the house and it will participate in our festivities in its own quiet way.