The maple tree

Right behind our house is very old, very tall maple tree:


This tree keeps our house cool and shady during the hot summer and provides shade for picnic lunches on the deck. In the fall, it turns beautiful shades of orange and red. In the winter, with the leaves gone, it lets the sun shine into our family room. And in the spring, it buds out and provides a new green canopy for the gardens.

The previous owners of our house built a deck around the tree, which is one of the things that's helped the tree do so well. This spring, I need to cut away some of the deck, since the tree has grown to the point the root flare is in contact with the deck beams.

We're concerned about winter moths (they were swarming in November and December), so we've arranged for the tree to be treated in the spring.

Trees, especially this tree, are something simple that I like.