10/23/2026
~
I planted this tree. I found it at Grandma's Gardens, a crooked-trunked, shunned mess nobody could sell. Something about it spoke to me (probably the price 😅).
I planted it and nursed it back to health. Then came September 14, 2008. The remnants of Hurricane Ike tore through Dayton with gusts up to 64 mph, and snapped it clean in half. It was leaning with a split right down the middle.
I wasn't about to lose it. Elizabeth was not happy, but I grabbed my ladder and climbed into that tree while the wind was still howling. I drilled six holes through the trunk, drove some deck lag bolts I found in the garage, and pulled it back together. I ran ropes down to anchor it to the ground during the remainder of the winds.
It was a long shot.
Almost 20 years later, it's still standing. Tall, proud, and scarred in all the right places. Every fall it sets itself on fire and thanks me with its amazing color, and puts on a show for us.
It's just beautiful. ❤️
