Barren Tree

There’s a big, huge tree that’s the central element of our back yard landscaping.

Unlike most deciduous trees in less arid & desert-like environs, this one never has truly lost all of its leaves in the fall and winter.

Some leaves, maybe some years even most of its leaves, even 3/4 of its leaves – no nowhere near all.

Until this year. It was hanging on as normal until the last two or three weeks of rains and strong, almost constant winds. Now, it’s barren.

Probably 98%+ of its leaves are gone and it’s a stark contrast to previous years’ behavior.

I’m hoping that there’s nothing wrong with it, that statistically this is just an outlier of a year. This tree is home to squirrels and a LOT of birds. More importantly, it’s near the house, the winds continue to blow like a demon, and if the tree is diseased or weakened it could easily topple over onto the house. Then we would have to find another place to live and deal with moving, which would no doubt piss me off something fierce.

In the meantime, there’s a certain stark, winter beauty to it outlined against a deep, blue sky on a cloudless day.

At least it’s still 50ºF instead of 15ºF! Otherwise I could be in Ohio or Michigan!