Today is a sad day. The peach tree that we so lovingly planted the first Spring after buying our home is declining. All of the love and attention that we are showering on it, does not seem to be helping. How do we know when it is time to say goodbye?
Penelope the peach tree is so very dear to us. For years I had wanted a fruit tree. Our previous house had an itty-bitty yard, and after the swing set and dog play area, there just wasn’t room for any fruit trees. Each Spring I would gaze at the rows of fruit trees at the nearby nursery with longing. I would walk by slowly, imagining them flowering in my yard and giving us fruit all summer long. Yet, each year, I need to pass by them knowing that I did not have room for them to flourish.
That all changed when we bought the house with the bigger yard. Now, with over an acre of land, I had the space to plant all the berries, fruit trees, and vegetables I had dreamed of. That very first Spring, my husband brought me to the nursery for my birthday and told me to pick out my fruit tree. I gravitated right towards the peaches. I could already envision where it would go and how it would be enjoyed for years to come.
We purchased the most delightful peach tree, which I instantly named Penelope. We brought her home and found the perfect spot with lots of sun, making her a comfy home. She was planted with plenty of fertilizer, a cute border, and a layer of mulch. For years we lovingly tended to her and she rewarded us with the sweetest of fruits.
A couple of weeks ago we had a horrible storm. Snow, ice and wind whipped through our yard and battered us all night long. When I awoke in the morning, I noticed that a tree from back in the woods had snapped off a large branch and was now across the yard. On further inspection, I could tell that it managed to damage Penelope on its way down. Several branches were battered and broken. Several more may have been damaged by the wind and ice alone.
We spent that day cleaning up the yard and gently pruning back the damage on Penelope. Some branches were so badly broken that they had to be taken off entirely. I was hurting inside to see the destruction of a tree that has been so good to us for years. She looks so sad and bare without her missing limbs.
I am holding on to hope that when Spring arrives, her remaining branches will flourish and survive. I am anxious to see the first budding flowers that to me are the true sign that Spring is upon us. I am being cautious though and thinking that I may need to prepare myself for a trip to the nursery and another fruit tree. Perhaps she needs a friend, and we should get one anyway. Maybe we can name him Peter.
