The ash tree behind the house....

It is autumn.
Our property has a number of trees on it.
Two in the front lawn have been supplying us with steady deposits of leaves to rake.
The trees in the back yard have been quite reluctant to relinquish their soiled summer dresses.
But there is one lone ash tree behind the house,
small in comparison to the four other, much larger trees,
that caught my eye.
Small dried leaves still clung to some of the limbs,
seemingly unable to release their hold,
but part of the tree looked dead.
I reached up to one of the branches and pulled.
It snapped, confirming my suspicion.
Then I caught sight of strings and a belt,
stretching between the limbs about ten feet up.
I loosed the strings, unfastened the belt,
perhaps another's effort to correct the tree's posture and hold it erect.
I continued to test the lower branches
and they continued to break away.
It may well be that the whole tree is not dead - yet.
But some of it is.
A quick glance at the tree, especially in the winter months,
will not, perhaps, reveal it's state.
It will look as other deciduous trees, undressed.
However, spring will come.
And as others awaken and put on their lovely green attire,
I suspect that ash tree will be scantly clothed or even naked,
unable, any longer, to provide itself an appearance of life.

Twila Charles Leichty
16. October 2008