Visiting the Maples

These are the two maple trees back in the woods on the old road that runs from our house deep into the woods. The road used to go all the way through to the other road, used to be called Porter Road (I wish it still was, because that would be our address), and used to have houses along here.

People lived way back here? 

A friend of mine lives in a house that was moved from back here! 

It's hard for me to believe when I walk back there, what is now - sadly - "just" a logging road, that there were at least two houses here. 

But thankfully, because of one of those houses, these two gorgeous maple trees are still here. No one has cut them down because they are right on the edge of an old house foundation. They are saved by the relic of a long-ago time. Imagine: these trees might have been in the front yard of the house, overlooking the road regular people -- rather than single-minded loggers -- actually used for their daily living. 

Just a couple of years ago, the man who owns this particular land came to thin the spruce plantation that he planted around the old homestead. I was sure these trees would be cut down; after all, that's what we do, right? Cut down everything. I wrapped my arms around these trees and sobbed as I apologized to them, thanked them, told them I would miss them. 

But they were saved! Imagine my delight when I walked back again, just before cutting was to start, and saw the area around the trees taped off. 

So I continue to enjoy them, and thank them. 

When the dog and I walk back into the woods, in any season, we reach the beaver brook and I say, "Let's go say hello to the maples." 

It was in front of these trees, after a rain storm, that I found a horse shoe lying in the dirt of the old road. They are lucky trees. And I am lucky they were saved. 

What stories could they tell me? 

**Can I give you a hint about the stories I'm going to tell? 

I've been very busy juggling three jobs, plus my online course, and was able to announce on my Facebook author page that I was postponing the announcement of my new project. Then the project was delivered ten days ahead of schedule! So on Saturday, in this space, I'll announce what I've done with some of my stories.