Getting ready to say good-bye

Some things just don't last forever.

This is what our cherry trees looked like back in May, 2013--beautiful and full of blossoms.

And this is what the same cherry trees looked like last July, 2013--full of cherries, a bumper crop, in fact.

But then, as soon as all the cherries were picked--by us or the birds, all of the leaves fell off the branches, WAY too early in August!  We should have been wondered what was going on back then.

Because this is how these same cherry trees look this year--so very sad!  We waited and waited for any buds, blossoms or signs of life to appear, but nothing.  Was it the horrible winter or were they just too old and tired?  My cousin is 71 and he remembers them being there as long as he can remember.  It's still so weird that they would all die together.  Perhaps it was a pact?

But there is life growing underneath those old trees--all those bright green shoots are volunteer cherry trees.

And these skinny little trees below, full of little green cherries, were also once volunteer shoots.

But it still will be hard to see them go when our friend, Gregory, comes to take them down, reducing them to firewood or maybe some other creative ends!