Going, Going, Gone

Tree# 92 Red Maple

At the southwest corner of Kirby Parkway and Poplar Pike there grew a fine maple with an almost hair-like quality to its foliage. Rather than having branches lifting up to the light, the ends of this tree's branches tended to drape in rich clusters, lining up to make blocks of green braids. This tree was definitely on my list. I intended to photograph it. Then imagine my dismay to come home one Sunday afternoon and find it as a bare trunk with ropes dangling. 

Captured in its last moments, Sunday July 27, 2014

I had to get the camera and go back before it was all gone, to document what was left of a 20 year casual companion. I had driven by this intersection since January 1994, not really paying any attention, except occasionally when coming from the west. That was the best side to see the tree.

With a green halo from the tree in the background, only a skeleton remains

There had been a storm in the spring and a large branch had fallen from the back of the tree, facing the house. The owners probably had to look at that scar every day and could not stand it, but it looked perfectly fine from the street.

Looking toward the Carre Four mall and another tragedy, the closed Borders Book Store

These are not the pictures I would have chosen to post of this tree, but now they are the last and only pictures I could get. Sometimes I feel like an old man scanning the obits for news of a friend. 

A heap of trash on the curb

This tree (leaves seem to be red maple) should have outlasted us all.