For 51 weeks of the year, we enjoy this Red Maple tree: the overall shape – even without leaves, its shade, the swing underneath it. And then for one glorious week each year, it completely outdoes itself.
This is its peak week. I can see it clearly from our schoolroom window when I’m standing at the board and it’s really hard to stay focused on explaining polynomials, dividing fractions, or dividing a circle into eighths, with those brilliant red leaves on display right at the window. I stop and look at it when I’m running out to the pole barn to get something out of the freezer. We watch it when we’re pulling out of the driveway and when we’re coming back home. On sunny days, it’s almost too bright to look at directly. On cloudy days, it practically illuminates our yard.
I blogged about this tree last year, about my mission to get a good picture of it. I’m still trying.
The FedEx guy made a delivery a couple of days ago and after I took the package from him, he started back down our path, glanced over at it, and then just stopped and stared. “That is a stunner,” he said.
You really should drive by just to see it; this picture doesn’t do it justice.
A million thanks to whoever planted this tree decades ago.
