AN ALDER

The Alder next to the house.

When we first moved here, this Alder tree had giant, beautiful leaves.  Within a few years, the leaf size began to shrink.  Two years ago, all the trees began dying. 

This condo complex was planted throughout with Alders with two or three kinds of simple flowering shrubs below them.  The shrubs keep going but the alders do not.  

We used to get very upset with this tree when it filled our patios and driveways with its leaves.  Now I mourn its loss in advance.  The plate size leaves are only tiny gestures now.  They will take it down over the winter as they did the giant out in front last year.

 Who knew I would mourn this messy old tree.

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• Himself:  Doing his best with a giant queue and a talkative me.

Herself:  Found Grumpy’s battery drained.  A wire shorted perhaps as G was working in the dash.  Today groceries, laundry, and staring at that crow quilt center.  Is it too big?

Reading:  Ruth Reichl and I find I lived much like she did.

Captain Poolie:  Perky.  We found her talking with her sister yesterday.  No visit today.

Gratitude’s:  That I can do my Monday mountain of stuff even while I complain about it.