Earlier this week I had the second major limb break on my favorite apricot tree. I have three of them. I guess the combination of wind and weight of maturing fruit created the disaster. It’s a sad thing for me to see a valuable tree get damaged like that. I guess if I was smarter about the pruning and general care of trees I would experience less sad things.

I’ve replaced a peach tree this year that didn’t survive the winter. My other surviving peach tree looks like it needs to be on life support. I’m doing my best to rescue it, but unless “Dr. House for trees” comes along, I’m afraid we may be having another “tree funeral.”

I have a poor, little maple tree that’s been struggling. The deer, who are like packs of dogs in my neighborhood most of the year, seem to have developed a taste for maple. Maybe I should set a table out in the yard with pancakes and maple leaves in the early mornings so the deer won’t have to deal with eating those pesky twigs along with the leaves.

Trees are valuable assets. And like many investments they take long periods of time to develop and mature.

Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” That reminds me of what my son told me about his boss.

The boss said, “If I don’t give you a time schedule on getting a task done, you can assume that the best time to do it is now.”

An ancient Greek proverb said, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” On the lighter side, there’s an Irish birthday toast that you may have heard, “We drink to your coffin. May it be built from the wood of a 100-year-old oak tree that I shall plant tomorrow.”

I like the story about the two city employees who were going along the side of a street. One guy was laboriously digging holes and the other guy was coming along behind him filling in the holes. A bewildered observer approached the workers and asked what in the world they were doing. They answered, “Well, normally we’re a three man crew; but the guy who puts the trees in the holes is sick today.”

Government and its workers are always easy targets for jokes. Unfortunately, sometimes there is some substance behind the ribbing. However, I have to say when it comes to trees, many of our towns are good at maintaining our parks and public areas with beautiful and well maintained trees.

I hope that you’ve had better luck than me with your trees this year. If not, I will love your miserable company, because, of course, misery loves company.

Regardless, let’s enjoy and appreciate our trees. Let’s develop gratitude for those who planted trees years ago for our benefit.Consider planting a new tree, if not for yourself, for your kids or someone you love….. Merrill