New Jersey Native Cherry
Planted by birds
Spring 1990-November 9 2020
She had a valuable life on the patio. In summer masses of honey scented blossom and an orchestra of bees, in fall cherries for birds and squirrels, in winter thorns beloved of squirrels.
This was after her last big snowstorm, the 2018 March one that brought down her biggest branches, leaving this survivor.
She shaded the humans, and was especially friendly to Handsome Partner who spent summer afternoons in his last years, in his wheelchair in the shade, watching birds and the antics of the ever present squirrels.
Since she reached the roof, she gave green shade and privacy to the bedroom.
It was a long life, for a wild cherry. We should all be so useful and beautiful!
And now she'll warm a house down the street over the winter.
As my friend, reluctantly felling her, said, it's all part of the cycle.
